Russian President Vladimir Putinreiterated his calls for Palestinian statehood in a meeting with Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday.We believe that in order to ensure lasting, reliable and stable peace in the region, its necessary to create a full-fledged Palestinian state, Putintold Abbas at the presidential residence outside Moscow.He alsoexpressed great pain and concern about civilian deaths in Gaza during the Israel-Gaza war."We are concerned above all about civilian losses," Putin said, according to images shown on Russian state television, adding: "We are doing everything...
to support Palestine and the Palestinian people."Abbas was scheduled to visit Moscow last November butpostponed the trip after the brutal Oct.
7 attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas triggered a deadly response by Israel.Russia has maintained working relations with Israel, with Palestinian authorities and with Hamas, which Moscow does not consider a terrorist organization.Last month, the Kremlin stronglycondemned the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniiyeh by an Israeli strike in Iran.Putin has regularly called for the creation of a Palestinian state as a long-term solution to the conflict in Israel.AFP contributed reporting.