Putin blames US for Israel-Gaza conflict

Russian president Vladimir Putin said that the sharp escalation of the Israel-Palestinian conflict was a vivid example of the United States' policy failure in the Middle East. Talking to the visiting Iraqi prime minister, Vladimir Putin said that Washington had tried to monopolise the search for a settlement in the region.

"I think many people would agree with me that it's a clear example of the failure of US politics in the Middle East," he said.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov earlier said that Moscow has been talking to both Israel and the Palestinians to help search for a settlement when he was asked about a claim by the Palestinian ambassador to Moscow on whether Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas will visit Moscow soon. Dmitry Peskov said that the visit had been planned before the war, adding that Moscow will announce the date after it's finally determined.

This comes as Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said that creating a Palestinian state was the "most reliable" solution for peace in Israel as fighting terrorism alone would not ensure security. Sergei Lavrov said that creating a "Palestinian state that would live side by side with Israel... is the most reliable path to solve (the conflict)."

"We cannot agree with those who say that security can only be ensured through a fight with terrorism," he said, adding that Moscow was "deeply concerned that hundreds of Israelis and Palestinians have died and that the Gaza Sector has been declared a target for Israeli retaliation."

Sergei Lavrov said Russia had "serious questions" about Western policy on Israel as "they say that (fighting) should be stopped immediately, that Israel should destroy the terrorists. But this was done before... and never after the situation calmed down did they come to the fact that the main reason (for the conflict) needs to be eliminated. The Palestinian problem should not be delayed further."