Putin Warns Israel Not to Use Nazi Germany's Tactics in Gaza
Vladimir Putin. (AP)
Moscow, Beritasatu.com - Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Israel not to carry out a siege of Gaza with the same tactics as Nazi Germany used when besieging Leningrad in World War II. Putin added that an Israeli ground attack on Gaza would cause a completely unacceptable number of civilian casualties.
Putin said Israel had been the target of an unprecedented attack carried out by Hamas militants. However, according to him, Israel responded with cruel methods.
Putin said there were even calls in the United States for a blockade of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, equivalent to the siege of Leningrad during World War II.
“In my view, this is unacceptable. More than 2 million people live there. Not all of them support Hamas, not all of them. However, they all have to suffer, including women and children. Of course it is difficult for anyone to agree on this," Putin told reporters at a summit in Kyrgyzstan.
His criticism of Israel became increasingly sharp with references to the siege of Leningrad in 1941-1944 and implied comparisons between Israel and Hitler's Germany, which had the potential to arouse deep resentment in Israel.
However, Putin also said that Israel has the right to defend itself.
He spoke after the Israeli military ordered all civilians of northern Gaza City, numbering more than 1 million people, to move south within 24 hours. The Israeli military deployed tanks for a ground invasion in response to the devastating Hamas attack last Saturday.
Putin said a ground attack would have serious consequences for all parties. “And most importantly, the civilian casualties are completely unacceptable. Now the main thing is to stop the bloodshed," he said.
Putin called for talks in the Middle East, and said Moscow was ready to coordinate with all construction-minded partners. Putin said the key to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was the creation of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Russia says it is in a position to help with mediation because of its ties to Israel, Palestine, groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah, Iran and major Arab countries.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov held separate talks in Moscow on Friday with the ambassadors of Israel, Lebanon and Iran, and the Russian foreign ministry said Moscow's contacts with Hamas would also continue.
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