Israeli Ambassador in Russia says his country unwilling to provoke escalation of violence

MOSCOW, December 7. /TASS/. Israeli Ambassador to Moscow, Gary Koren, said on Thursday his country calls for restraint in connection with the U.S. decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv should be addressed to the Palestinians and not to Israel. The Russian Foreign Ministry said earlier on Thursday Moscow was seriously concerned by Washington’s decision to relocate its embassy to Jerusalem and urged all the sides to the process to exercise restraint and stay away from the actions fraught with dangerous and uncontrollable aftermaths. "We’ve seen a commentary of the Russian Foreign Ministry and my counterpart, the Russian ambassador to Israel [Alexander Shein]," Koren said. "We’re satisfied with them. They reflect Russia’s position. Probably, it could be better but we’re glad Russia calls for restraint. It feels apprehensive of acts of violence of some kind. But I can state Moscow is appealing for restraint to all the parties concerned." "Still there’s no calling on us to exercise restraint because Israel always exercises it," he said. "These calls should target the Palestinian leadership, in the first place." "Israel doesn’t have any interest in an escalation of violence and we think Russia, France, Germany or any other European country wishing peaceful coexistence to Israel and Palestine should address the requests to the Palestinians, first and foremost," Koren said. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday time had come to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish state. He instructed the Department of State to begin preparations for the relocation of the American embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. The status of Jerusalem is one of the key problems of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Israeli forces occupied the eastern part of the city in the course of the Six-Day War in 1967. Israel insists on Jerusalem being its only and indivisible capital. Palestinians, in their turn, seek to make East Jerusalem the capital of their independent state. Read more