Russian FM: Israel’s security impossible without Palestinian statehood

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that ensuring Israel’s security cannot come at the expense of Palestinian rights, emphasising that lasting peace in the region depends on the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Speaking to students and faculty at MGIMO University, Lavrov said it was difficult to guarantee Israel’s security while infringing on the security of Palestinians. He argued that security in the region must be viewed as indivisible and cannot be achieved by denying Palestinians their right to statehood, Caliber.Az reports per TASS. 

Lavrov noted that even before the current escalation of violence, Russian and Israeli officials had long discussed the importance of creating a Palestinian state. According to him, the absence of such a state continues to "fuel extremism" driven by a sense of injustice among Palestinians.

He acknowledged that Moscow has always understood Israel’s concerns about its own security. Lavrov also recalled that the original decision to create two states—Israel and Palestine—was based on the principle that both should be able to coexist peacefully and securely as good neighbours.

However, he warned that the current situation represents a deadlock, as "without a Palestinian state, regional stability is unlikely, yet efforts to establish one are resisted due to Israeli fears that it would pose a security threat."

By Sabina Mammadli