Support The Moscow Times!

Moscow Calls for UN Conference To Solve Israel Conflict ‘Forever’

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service

The Russian foreign minister on Wednesday called on UN chief Antonio Guterres to organize an international conference to find a lasting solution to the war between Israel and the Palestinians.

Moscow has repeatedly called for the creation of a Palestinian state and has working relations with both Hamas — which it does not recognize as a terrorist organization — and Israel.

"The only way for this problem to be solved forever, and to be solved in a just way, is to hold an international conference with all five permanent members of the UN Security Council," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Russian senators.

He said the conference should include representatives of countries from the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Gulf Cooperation Council.

"The UN should play a leading role in convening such an event," he said, adding: "I trust that the UN Secretary-General is quite capable of such an initiative."

Russia is one of five permanent UN Security Council members, along with China, France, the U.K. and the U.S.

Lavrov said that the "continuing injustice against the Palestinian people, to whom the creation of a Palestinian state was promised... fuels very serious terrorist and extremist sentiments."

He also ensured that Moscow was doing everything in its power to release hostages Hamas took during its unprecedented attack on Israel in October.

Hamas has in recent weeks released three Russian citizens that it held hostage in a deal outside of agreements with Israel.

Russia has been increasingly critical of Israel during its military operation in Gaza, with President Vladimir Putin denouncing the "catastrophic" humanitarian situation.

The bloodiest-ever Gaza war broke out after Hamas gunmen attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took around 240 hostages, according to Israeli authorities.

Israel, determined to destroy Hamas and bring the hostages home, launched a devastating aerial and ground offensive on Gaza.

According to the Hamas-run health ministry, the war has killed more than 18,400 people, mostly women and children.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more