Israel Values Russia's Role In Quartet, Seeks Direct Talks With Palestine - Diplomat

Israel believes that Russia plays a key role in the Middle East peace process as a member of the Quartet and seeks support of the international community in bringing the Palestinians to the negotiating table, Charge d'Affaires ad interim of Israel to Russia Yacov Livne told Sputnik

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th July, 2020) Israel believes that Russia plays a key role in the Middle East peace process as a member of the Quartet and seeks support of the international community in bringing the Palestinians to the negotiating table, Charge d'Affaires ad interim of Israel to Russia Yacov Livne told Sputnik.

Last week, Russia's deputy envoy to the United Nations said that Moscow was ready to assist the process to settle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and urged all members of the Middle East Quartet to advance cooperation in this regard. Earlier this month, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas reportedly conveyed Palestine's readiness to engage in talks with Israel under the auspices of the Quartet in his conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"We believe that both Israel and Russia have an interest in a peaceful and stable Middle East. Russia also plays an important role as a member of the Middle East peace Quartet. We highly appreciate the assistance of all our partners and friends on the international arena, who are attempting to assist us in this challenging task of bringing more peace and more stability to the Middle East," Livne said.

The diplomat reiterated that Israel sees US President Donald Trump's peace plan as "the most substantial and practical opportunity" to peacefully end the decades-long conflict, while expressing regret over the fact that the Palestinians have been rejecting Israeli settlement offers over the past decade and similarly shunned the US plan.

"The Palestinians have yet to make the necessary steps of stopping their support for terrorists and recognizing Israel as a Jewish state. We believe that direct negotiations with no preconditions are the most effective way for finding a compromise. The Palestinian leadership must also take this road ... We expect the international community to tell the Palestinian leaders that their current negative approach is neither promoting their interests nor benefitting the lives of the Palestinians," Livne stressed.

In late January, Trump presented his so-called deal of the century to reconcile Israel and Palestine. The deal calls for the creation of a demilitarized Palestinian state, with Israel retaining control over the West Bank and keeping Jerusalem as its undivided capital. Palestine has firmly rejected the plan.