Russia urges Israel to abandon E1 settlement plan, warning it threatens two-state solution

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Friday expressed hope Israel will abandon its E1 settlement plan, which suggests the expansion of East Jerusalem by creating a physical link between the city of Ma'ale Adumim, occupied West Bank and Jerusalem.

Responding to a question from Anadolu at a press briefing in Moscow, Zakharova described the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories as "developing in an extremely negative direction."

"This cannot help but cause grave concern, serious concern, which we comment on virtually every briefing," she said.

The spokeswoman stressed that building in the E1 area would prevent the territorial continuity of a Palestinian state, which is an essential condition for its viability according to the international legal framework for Middle East peace.

"This project, developed more than 20 years ago, has repeatedly been postponed due to sharp criticism from the overwhelming majority of members of the international community, and we hope that it will finally be abandoned, thus preserving the prospect of a two-state solution to the Palestinian problem," she said.

Turning to the killing of journalists in the Gaza Strip, Zakharova said: "Today, unfortunately, we are compelled to speak of yet another instance of mass civilian casualties, including journalists, in the Gaza Strip."

"Another tragedy occurred, as you know, on Aug. 25. According to available information, Israeli air strikes on the Nasser Medical Complex in southern Palestine resulted in the deaths of at least 20 people, including five media representatives, patients, and medical staff," she said.

The spokeswoman expressed her condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims and stressed that any actions resulting in harm to civilians, including journalists, particularly indiscriminate attacks on civilian facilities, are viewed by Moscow as gross violations of international law.

"We reaffirm our consistent position in favor of immediate and universal cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip and the prompt return of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict resolution process to the politico-diplomatic track," she said.