Russia warns Israel against expansionist actions

MOSCOW Russia warned Israel on Thursday against expansionist actions, saying it might provoke violence and destabilize the situation in the Middle East. Moscow repeatedly warned Israel against implementing unilateral plans contradicting the international legislation for the Middle East settlement, the Foreign Ministry said in a comment, published on its official website. The annexation would make impossible the territorial continuity of the West Bank of the Jordan River, which is an essential condition for the viability of a future Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, it said. "Such expansionist actions by Israel could provoke a dangerous cycle of violence in the Palestinian territories, as well as destabilize the situation in the Middle East region as a whole," it added. The Ministry reaffirmed Russia’s strong adherence to a two-state solution and called on all sides to refrain from actions that could provoke a new dangerous escalation in the region and hinder the creation of conditions for the resumption of direct Palestinian-Israeli negotiations. Moscow continues its work with the EU, US and UN aiming to organize direct talks between Palestinians and Israelis in the near future, the ministry said.