ANKARA (Dispatches) –
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says that creating a Palestinian state was the “most reliable” solution for peace in the Israeli-occupied territories and that fighting alone would not ensure security.
Lavrov spoke on Monday during a news conference with the head of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, who visited Russia after Hamas, the Palestinian resistance movement in Gaza, launched a massive surprise attack on Saturday.
Creating a “Palestinian state that would live side by side with Israel … is the most reliable path to solve [the conflict]”, Lavrov said.
“We cannot agree with those who say that security can only be ensured through a fight.”
He said Moscow was “deeply concerned” that hundreds have died and that the Gaza has been declared a target for Israeli attacks.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that lasting peace in the Middle East is only possible through the settlement of the Palestinian-Zionist conflict, including the establishment of a Palestinian State with East Al-Quds as its capital, Anadolu news agency reported.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of St. Ephrem Syriac Ancient Orthodox Church in Yesilkoy on the European side of Istanbul, Erdogan said the realization of an independent and geographically integrated Palestinian state based on 1967 borders, with East Al-Quds as the capital, “could not be delayed any longer”.
Turkey, he added, was determined to ramp up diplomatic efforts to achieve calm in the fighting between Zionist and Palestinian forces, but added that a so-called two-state solution was the only way to achieve regional peace.
The Turkish president has stressed on the importance of the city of Al-Quds for Muslims and Christians, adding that “the Palestine issue stands as the root cause of the problems in our region.”
“Our region will remain craving peace unless a just settlement is reached,” he added.
He also emphasized that any steps that will escalate tensions in the region, “lead to more bloodshed and deepen the problems should be avoided.”