The proposal is the “best” option currently on the table, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.
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| FILE PHOTO: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. © Sputnik / Yekaterina Lyzlova |
The plan for peace in Gaza proposed by US President Donald Trump is currently the “best” option to stop the bloodshed, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said. Most important, however, is that it be accepted by the Palestinians, he added.
The 20-point plan, released by the White House last month, calls for an immediate ceasefire and the exchange of all hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners in Israel. It also envisions turning Gaza into a “deradicalized, terror-free zone” after the withdrawal of Israeli forces, with Hamas excluded from governing the enclave.
According to Lavrov, the proposal is not ideal since it essentially sidesteps the issue of Palestinian statehood, which remains at the heart of the conflict, and only focuses on Gaza.
“We are realists. We understand that it is the best [option] that is currently on the table,” he said in an excerpt from an interview published by the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday. The plan looks like a sensible compromise that could be accepted or at least not outright rejected by all sides, Lavrov believes.
“The plan is realistic if the Palestinians accept it,” Lavrov stated, adding that Moscow “wishes luck” to the Turkish, Egyptian, Qatari, US and Israeli negotiators currently engaged in talks over the issue.
Russia stands ready to provide any aid in the process that could be needed, the minister said, adding that Moscow could also help create a Palestinian state. “The most important thing now is to stop the bloodshed. In that sense, Trump’s plan gives hope.”
The plan has been backed by the Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank, which welcomed the US president’s “sincere and determined efforts” to achieve peace in Gaza and said that partnership with Washington would be essential for stability in the region.
Israel reportedly halted the ground operation that it launched in Gaza Сity last month after the plan was released. West Jerusalem and Hamas are also preparing to exchange Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners as part of the US-backed peace efforts, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
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