Russia urges political foresight amid latest Mideast violence

The Russian Foreign Ministry urged political foresight Monday from both Palestinian and Israeli leadership amid the latest spate of violence in Gaza, saying the attacks jeopardize prospects for progress in the peace process.

"The dangerous outburst of violence with numerous fatalities may kill off the sprouts of confidence that have emerged between the two sides in the course of the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and parts of the West Bank and may endanger prospects for further progress toward a settlement," spokesman Mikhail Kamynin said in a statement posted on the ministry's official web site.

Moscow expects the Israeli government and the Palestinian National Authority to show "political will and foresight" and not to be provoked by forces seeking to undermine the positive achievements in Palestinian-Israeli relations, Kamynin said.

Kamynin reassured Moscow's firm support for Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in his efforts to stabilize the situation and crack down on extremist activities and urged Palestinians to comply with their commitments on a constructive internal dialogue and avoiding a return to armed conflicts with Israel.

"We expect the Palestinian leadership to take the most resolute steps to end rocket attacks on Israeli towns and any terrorist acts," Kamynin said.

In recent days, Palestinian rocket attacks on Israeli towns and Israeli retaliatory airstrikes on militant groups in Gaza have thrown a cease-fire declared at a Feb. 8 Palestinian-Israeli summit into disarray.

Source: Xinhua