Russia submits draft resolution on Gaza to UN Security Council

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia has submitted to the UN Security Council for consideration a draft resolution aimed at helping international efforts to settle the conflict between Israel and the Gaza Strip, RIA Novosti reported.

Russia’s Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin said the draft resolution would focus on three key components: an end to violence to negotiate a ceasefire, support for international and regional efforts to settle the crisis peacefully and a call for resumption of talks between Palestinians and Israelis on a wider range of problems.

In line with the draft available to journalists, the Council should condemn all forms of violence against civilians. The draft suggests that both Palestinian and Israeli citizens should be protected.

About 100 Palestinians, including dozens of civilians, have been killed since Israel’s Operation Pillar of Defense against the Palestinian enclave of 1.7 million began on November 14 with an airstrike that eliminated the head of the military wing of the Hamas Islamist group, Ahmed Jabari.

The airstrike came after a reported surge in rocket attacks on Israeli border towns from Gaza, which has been governed by Hamas since 2007. Three Israeli civilians have been killed since the operation start by rockets fired from Gaza.

Israel has put 75,000 reservists on standby and troops and military equipment are massed near the border with Gaza as Israeli authorities do not rule out a ground operation in Gaza.