MOSCOW, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- The international community should join efforts to find a political solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday.
"We call on the international community to join efforts to de-escalate the situation, work towards reaching a ceasefire, and finding a political solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict," Putin said at the BRICS extraordinary virtual summit on the Palestinian-Israeli issue.
He stressed that BRICS members and regional countries could play a key role in achieving these goals, according to the Kremlin.
"It is significant that all BRICS countries have similar positions regarding the need to collectively achieve a long-term and sustainable settlement of the long-standing Palestinian-Israeli conflict," Putin said.
"Humanitarian pauses, or better, of course, a full ceasefire, are necessary to continue efforts to free hostages and evacuate civilians and foreign citizens from the Gaza Strip," he said.
In his speech, Putin noted the efforts to help normalize the situation that have already been taken by countries in the Middle East, particularly results achieved within the framework of the recent peace summit in Egypt and the extraordinary joint Arab-Islamic summit in Saudi Arabia.
The current humanitarian catastrophe "is a direct consequence" of the desire of the United States to monopolize mediation efforts, and block the work of the international quartet of Middle East mediators, according to the Russian leader. ■
