MOSCOW, January 22. /TASS/. Russia will be prepared to work for the stabilization of the situation in the Middle East and the resumption of the Palestinian-Israeli negotiating process, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a commentary on Friday.

"Moscow is worried over the dangerous march of events on the Palestinian-Israeli track," the commentary said. "Of particular concern is the months-long escalation of tensions in Palestine and in Israeli cities, where civilians on both sides often fall victim."

The Russian Foreign Ministry pointed to the latest risky episode in this string of events — the unrest that flared up on January 21 in the city of Hebron, in the West Bank. According to the arriving reports, the unrest was triggered by Israeli settlers, who forcibly seized two homes belonging to Palestinian Arabs. Simultaneously the Israeli authorities declared the intention to annex more than 150 hectares of land near the Palestinian city of Jericho.

"We believe that such confrontational atmosphere will by no means contribute to the normalization of the already explosive situation," the Russian Foreign Ministry said. "We are certain that resolute political and diplomatic steps for breaking the vicious circle of Palestinian-Israeli standoff are more crucial than ever before."

The foreign ministry’s commentary says that Russia confirms its determination to contribute in all ways possible to the efforts that might stabilize the situation and eventually open up prospects for the resumption of the negotiating process between the Palestinians and the Israelis on the well-known international legal basis of the Middle East settlement.