Free Republic

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday an Israeli ground offensive in Gaza would result in a level of civilian casualties that would be "absolutely unacceptable". -snip- "Russia is ready to coordinate with all constructively minded partners," Putin said. He said negotiations should be directed towards a two-state solution of the Middle East conflict in which Palestinians would get their own state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

After the ceasefire, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) should take seriously its obligation to implement its resolutions on the establishment of a Palestinian state, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. Speaking to the press after the meeting of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Foreign Ministers, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized that he hoped that with the end of hostilities, Palestine and Israel would return to implementing United Nations (UN) resolutions. "We hope that after the ceasefire, everyone will take seriously the obligation to implement the UN Security Council resolutions on the establishment of a Palestinian state," he...