State Duma statement "On condemning the position of the Knesset of the State of Israel that contradicts international law and United Nations decisions on the State of Palestine"

”Deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation strongly condemn the position of the Knesset of the State of Israel, expressed in the “Statement of the Knesset against the establishment of the State of Palestine“ adopted on July 18, 2024. By groundlessly and baselessly claiming that the very establishment of the State of Palestine would pose a threat to Israel and its citizens and would render the Israeli-Palestinian conflict intractable and destabilize the region, the Israeli Parliament blatantly violates the principles and norms of international law that constitute the basis for a Middle East settlement, as well as the numerous legally binding resolutions of the UN Security Council, which unequivocally proclaimed the establishment of the State of Palestine as the solution to the Palestinian problem. By doing so, Israeli deputies representing the extreme reactionary and militant wing of the Israeli Parliament undermine the long-standing efforts of the international community to establish peace and tranquillity in the Middle East, the key to which is a just solution to the Palestinian problem. At the same time, such an unlawful position defended by radical circles of the Israeli authorities contradicts not only the expectations of a significant part of Israeli society, but also the spirit of the Oslo Accords signed earlier by Israel. Remarkably, only 68 of the 120 members of the Knesset of the State of Israel voted in favor of the illegal anti-Palestinian statement of July 18, 2024.

Deputies of the State Duma believe that by adopting such statements, the supporters of war and building relations from a position of strength in the Israeli parliament try to negate the growing support in the world for the legitimate demands of the Palestinian people, reduce the determination of the supporters of a just settlement in the Middle East to effectively confront Israeli aggression, humanitarian catastrophe, and the number of civilian casualties. The vast majority of UN Member States (147 out of 193) have already recognized the statehood of Palestine. In 2024 alone, 9 countries, including several Western allies of the U.S.-Israeli alliance, officially recognized the State of Palestine. There is no doubt that the number of such countries will increase and support for the Palestinian people will grow.

Deputies of the State Duma call on the parliaments of the states of the world and international parliamentary organizations to condemn the unlawful statements of the Knesset of the State of Israel and to make every possible effort to put an early end to the bloodshed in Palestine, to strengthen cooperation in the fight against terrorism, to resolve conflicts by political and diplomatic means, using, inter alia, the potential of parliamentary diplomacy, inter-parliamentary contacts and cooperation“.