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Russia calls on parties to Palestinian-Israeli conflict to show restraint-Russian diplomat

She stressed that Moscow would continue efforts towards lasting and comprehensive Palestinian-Israeli settlement

MOSCOW, May 11. /TASS/. Moscow calls on the parties to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict to show restraint and refrain from any steps that can be fraught with escalation of the situation, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Tuesday.

According to the Russian diplomat, the situation in Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip is extremely explosive. "Moscow is seriously concerned over these dangerous developments. We strongly condemn attacks on civilians regardless of their ethnic or religious identity. We call on the parties to show restraint and refrain from steps fraught with further escalation of tension. We think it essential to observe the status quo concerning Jerusalem’s holy sites committed to paper in the Jordanian-Israeli peace treaty, as well as United Nations resolutions on this city," she said.

She stressed that Moscow would continue efforts towards lasting and comprehensive Palestinian-Israeli settlement. "As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and a member of the Middle East Quartet of international mediators and in cooperation with regional and international sides, Russia will do its best to achieve comprehensive and lasting settlement in line with the UN Security Council resolutions envisaging the establishment of two states - Palestine and Israel coexisting in peace and security," she added.

An exchange of missile strikes between Israel and Palestinian radicals from the Gaza Strip followed an outburst of unrest near the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City in early May. More than 700 people have been hurt in riots in recent days. Clashes between the Palestinians and the Israeli police were triggered by an Israeli court ruling to seize dwelling houses in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood from Arab families who have been living there for more than 50 years in favor of Jewish resettlers who had reportedly owned these buildings before 1948. The houses allocated by Jordan as the custodian of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem are located some 500 meters from Al-Aqsa.