Putin blames West for Middle East crisis

“They need constant chaos in the Middle East. Therefore (the US) does its best to discredit those countries that insist on an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, on stopping the bloodshed, and are ready to make a real contribution to resolving the crisis, and not parasitise on it,” Putin said in a televised statement to a meeting of members of his Security Council and the government and the heads of law enforcement agencies on Monday.

Putin added Russia was fighting the shadowy US forces he blamed for the Middle East crisis on the battlefields of Ukraine.

“Palestine can only be helped by fighting those who are behind this tragedy. We are Russia and we are fighting them in the context of the ‘special military operation’. Both for ourselves and for those who strive for real true freedom.”

“The key to resolving the conflict is in the creation of a sovereign, independent Palestinian state,” Putin continued, implying that this was not Washington’s stated aim.

Putin has also condemned the ongoing bombing campaign waged by Israel against the Palestinian enclave of Gaza, stating it cannot be justified by anything.

“The horrible events currently unfolding in the Gaza Strip, when hundreds of thousands of innocent people are getting indiscriminately annihilated, have nowhere to run, nowhere to hide from bombardment, cannot be justified by anything,” Putin stated.

Israel’s actions in the Palestinian enclave only invoke rage, Putin argued, adding, however, that one should not be led by “emotions” in properly addressing the situation in the Middle East.

“When you’re watching bloodied children, dead children, suffering of the elderly, death of medics – fists are clenching and tears are welling up. Yet we should not, we cannot allow ourselves to be led by emotions,” the president said.

The ongoing crisis in the Middle East started with a “terrorist attack” on Israeli civilians, Putin noted. However, instead of “punishing” those behind it, Israel “unfortunately” opted for “vengeance” and assigned “collective responsibility” for it.

The major escalation between Hamas and Israel began on October 7 with a surprise attack launched by the Palestinian group. Israel responded with massive aerial and artillery bombardment of Gaza, which has already resulted in widespread destruction and heavy civilian casualties in the enclave.

More than 8,000 Palestinians, including over 3,000 children, have been killed, according to local health authorities. In Israel, more than 1,400 have been killed during the conflict, according to the IDF.