Russia Calls for Both Sides to Stand Down in Jerusalem Violence

Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin said that Russia calls for both sides of Jerusalem conflict to stop the violence.

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) – Eliminating violence at holy sites in East Jerusalem is key to settling the Middle East conflict, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin said Friday.

"Of key importance is the normalization of the situation around the holy sites in East Jerusalem, equally revered by Jews, Muslims and Christians," Churkin said at the UN Security Council meeting.

The Russian ambassador stressed the need to keep to the status quo at the Temple Mount complex. Current rules prevent Jews from worshiping at the Temple Mount, which houses Islam’s third holiest site, the Al-Aqsa mosque. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected Palestinian accusations of a plan to revise the status quo.

Churkin expressed confidence that the decades-long tensions surrounding the holy sites were not indefinite and had a "mutually acceptable solution."

"It can be possible only through discussing the Jerusalem problem within the framework of negotiations on all issues of the final status of Palestinian territories," he stressed.

Churkin reiterated Russia’s calls for both sides to stop the violence and return to calm in light of the deaths of seven Israelis and nearly 40 Palestinians and Israeli Arabs in attacks this month.