As tensions in the Middle East rose this week with the start of Israel’s Operation Protective Edge, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on the phone Saturday to discuss the implications of the conflict on the region.
The two leaders discussed “the situation surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the reaction of the neighboring countries in the context of Israel’s retaliatory action against Hamas,” according to a statement issued by the Kremlin.
The call followed a similar conversation between Netanyahu and US President Barack Obama, which discovered Thursday discussing the decade-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Obama “expressed understanding” of Israel’s right to respond to Hamas rocket fire, reiterating that no nation can tolerate attacks on its territory and civilians.
The conversation between Putin and Netanyahu focused on Israel’s military efforts against Hamas in Gaza, the deadliest conflict in the region since Israel’s 2008 war against the Islamist militant group. The two discussed how to resolve the crisis without escalating it and how to de-escalate the region overall.
Putin reportedly expressed concern for the region’s security and urged both parties to demonstrate restraint. He also reportedly called for Palestinians and Israelis to come to the negotiating table to find a peaceful solution.
The Kremlin stated that the two leaders agreed that “stability in the Middle East should be based on the revival of the peace process and the implementation of the ‘two-state’ formula.”
The nations’ foreign ministers, Sergei Lavrov (Russia) and Avigdor Lieberman (Israel), held a briefing on the matter later on Saturday. Lavrov reportedly urged Israel to find a peaceful resolution as soon as possible and expressed deep concern about the “dangerous and destabilizing situation.”
As rockets continue to rain down on both sides and tensions show no signs of abating, the international community must once again turn to Putin and Netanyahu—both leaders with experience in navigating the volatile landscape—for solutions.