MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a phone conversation to discuss the latest developments in the Middle East, including the war in Gaza and US President Donald Trump’s proposed ceasefire plan.
The Kremlin said Putin reaffirmed Moscow’s support for a “comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian issue based on international law,” as both leaders also touched on Iran’s nuclear program and the situation in Syria.
“Putin reaffirmed Russia’s unwavering position in favor of a comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian issue based on a well-known international legal framework,” the statement by the Kremlin said, noting that the two also exchanged views on other regional issues.
According to Anadolu news agency, Putin and Netanyahu particularly expressed interest in finding negotiated solutions to the situation surrounding Iran’s nuclear program and further stabilization in Syria, it added.
The phone call took place a day prior to the second anniversary of Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip, during which over 67,100 Palestinians, most of them women and children, were killed in the enclave that has been rendered all but uninhabitable due to relentless bombardment, also leading to mass displacement, starvation, and the proliferation of disease.
Delegations from Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas started indirect negotiations in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday to discuss Trump’s 20-point plan, which was announced on Sept. 29 and calls for the release of Israeli captives within 72 hours of Israel’s approval, a ceasefire, and the disarmament of Hamas.
On Saturday, Trump called on Israel to “stop bombing Gaza immediately” after Hamas responded positively to his ceasefire plan.
The Moscow Palestine policy, which has been consistent for many years, advocates for the creation of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. Key elements of this policy include a two-state solution, a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, and East Jerusalem as its capital.
