On October 16th, 2023, President Bashar al-Assad engaged in a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to deliberate on the recent unfolding events in Palestine, specifically concerning the interactions between the Israeli government and Palestinian resistance groups.
The Syrian presidency affirmed that during their discussion, Presidents al-Assad and Putin explored strategies to halt Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip. They emphasized the urgent need to provide humanitarian assistance to civilians in the Strip, as well as to cease the Israeli entity’s bombardment and displacement of innocent people in Gaza.
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Following this conversation, Russian media disclosed that Putin would also initiate telephone dialogues with the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas.
Moreover, the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister expressed concerns about the escalating situation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, noting that Israeli actions appeared arbitrary. He attributed the crisis to the United States and warned of the potential for the situation to spiral out of control.
Putin’s outreach coincided with a direct appeal from the Russian Presidency, the Kremlin, for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Previously, the Russian President had reiterated his support for the Palestinian resistance amidst the escalating tensions in Palestine. He likened the Israeli occupation army’s siege on the Gaza Strip to the siege of Leningrad by Nazi Germany during World War II. Putin called for a resolution to the conflict through mediation.
Putin had also criticized the United States for deploying military reinforcements to Israel, questioning the rationale behind sending aircraft carriers to the Middle East. He expressed skepticism about whether this was intended to intimidate or serve as a viable solution to the ongoing issues. Putin emphasized the necessity of seeking compromise solutions instead.
In addition to his conversation with President Putin, President Al-Assad discussed the current developments in Palestine with Emirati President Mohammed bin Zayed, Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi, and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
