March 2, 2024 (EIRNS)—All major Palestinian factions, including Fatah and Hamas agreed to commit themselves to seek unity under the Palestine Liberation Organization during the meeting hosted in Moscow over Feb. 29-March 2.
“We agreed that our meetings will continue in the upcoming rounds of dialogue to reach a comprehensive national unity that includes all Palestinian forces and factions in the framework of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people,” they said in the statement. They “expressed thanks and appreciation to the Russian leadership” for hosting the meetings, condemned the “criminal Israeli aggression” in the Palestinian territories and praised South Africa’s lawsuit against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
The Russian Foreign Ministry, which provided the venue for the talks, issued a statement saying: “Based on the results of two days of discussions, which took place in a constructive, friendly atmosphere, the Palestinians adopted a consensus final statement. The meeting participants condemned the use of violence against the civilian population of the Gaza Strip and other Palestinian territories and called for the provision of necessary humanitarian assistance to all those in need.
“The text of the document also emphasizes the unacceptability of attempts to expel the Palestinian population from their land, as well as to separate the Gaza Strip from the rest of the Palestinian territories, thereby depriving the Palestinians of the opportunity to realize the right to create their own independent state, confirmed by international decisions.”
Russian Presidential Special Representative for the Middle East and Africa, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov held separate talks with Mousa Abu Marzouk, deputy chairman of the Hamas political bureau and his delegation, reported the Russian Foreign Ministry. “During the conversation, the main attention was paid to the results of the inter-Palestinian meeting that ended in Moscow. At the same time, the situation in the zone of Palestinian-Israeli armed confrontation was considered, against the backdrop of which the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip continues to deteriorate catastrophically.
“The Russian side emphasized the need for the speedy release of civilians captured during the attacks on October 7, 2023 and held hostage in Gaza, including three Russian citizens—A. Kozlov, A. Lobanov and A. Trufanov,” stated the Foreign Ministry.
