Russia calls for de-escalation of tensions in Palestinian territories - Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW. July 4 (Interfax) - Moscow calls for the de-escalation of tensions in the Palestinian territories and urges all parties to engage in negotiations, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov spoke on the phone with Hamas Political Bureau Deputy Chairman Mousa Abu Marzook on Monday, it said.

"The Russian side reiterated its principled position in favor of de-escalating tensions and arranging a negotiating process in the interests of a just settlement of the Palestine problem on a well-known international legal basis," it said.

Russia reaffirmed its "willingness to continue working vigorously to attaining this goal, including by stepping up the collective efforts of Russia, LAS [the League of Arab States], and a group of regional states involved in the Middle East settlement [agenda]," it said.

It also "highlighted the objective of restoring Palestinian national unity as soon as possible, based on the patriotic foundations of the Palestine Liberation Organization's political program," it said.

The situation in the vicinity of the city of Jenin in the West Bank has seriously deteriorated in recent days, as the Israel Defense Forces have launched a major antiterrorist operation there.