Russian ambassador to UN claims Middle East on verge of complete-fledged conflict
Date
10/16/2023 5:21:42 AM
(MENAFN) Vassily Nebenzia, Russia's permanent representative to the United Nations, has issued a stark warning about the escalating hostilities between Israel and Hamas, asserting that the Middle East stands on the precipice of a major war. Nebenzia also decried the alarming levels of violence witnessed in the region recently and urgently called for an immediate ceasefire.
Following a closed-door session of the United Nations Security Council on Friday, Nebenzia addressed the media, expressing deep concern over the dire situation. He emphasized that the region teeters on the brink of a full-blown conflict, with the potential for an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe. The diplomat made it unequivocally clear that Russia strongly condemns the loss of life among both Israeli and Palestinian civilians. Nebenzia underscored the gravity of events on Israeli soil on October 7, deeming them entirely unacceptable.
Nebenzia attributed a significant portion of the responsibility for the escalating tensions in the Middle East to the United States. He accused the United States of obstructing the quartet of mediators, consisting of the United Nations, United States, European Union, and Russia, through what he described as "irresponsible and self-centered" actions. According to Nebenzia, the United States has sought to monopolize the mediation process, imposing its own vision of peace on Palestine without addressing the underlying root causes of the conflict.
The diplomat also pointed out Israel's prolonged violation of numerous United Nations resolutions, particularly its expansion of illegal settlements on occupied Palestinian territory.
Nebenzia underscored that while Israel has a legitimate right to safeguard its citizens, Russia perceives its recent strategies as tantamount to a collective punishment of Palestinians. As such, these tactics are viewed as unacceptable by the Russian government. The gravity of the situation, as articulated by Nebenzia, highlights the urgent need for concerted international efforts to quell the rising tensions and avert a full-scale conflict in the Middle East.
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