Lavrov calls on Israelis, Palestinians to stop any violence
RIYADH. Nov 15 (Interfax) - Russia has called on the Israelis and Palestinians to immediately stop any violence.
"We are extremely concerned about what is happening in the region and on Palestinian territories today. We believe it is necessary to immediately stop firing, strikes, and any violence," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in Saudi Arabia.
Israeli armed forces started a large-scale operation in Gaza on Wednesday by pounding at Palestinian military sites. Israel said it acted this way in response to the shelling of Israeli territory from Gaza.
Lavrov regretted that "the Middle East quartet failed in the previous months, when negative events were accumulating, to gather and clearly declare its position in favor of providing conditions as soon as possible for resuming direct negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis."
"Now we are paying for this missed opportunity - or, to be more precise, not we are paying but those suffering out there," he said.
"We are still sure that the Quartet should resume its work as soon as possible, and it should act in close contact with the League of Arab States. Working separately is becoming difficult and not producing any results," he said.
