Tension in the Middle East after the assassination of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

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Members of the Middle East "Four" ( the UN, the EU, Russia and the USA) are worried about the growth of tension in the Middle East after the assassination of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and do not rule out a new spiral of violence in the region, Alexander Kalugin, a special representative of the Russian foreign minister in the Middle East, told RIA Novosti in Cairo on Tuesday. According to him, a conference of the "Four" representatives was held in the capital of Egypt on Monday where they exchanged opinion on the situation in the Middle East and coordinated further actions. Kalugin stressed that all countries, represented in the "Four", expressed concern over the possibility of a new spiral of violence after the murder by the Israeli military of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin - the founder and spiritual leader of the Palestinian Hamas movement. Regrettably, he said, the "Four" do not have a "magic wand" to immediately resume political settlement and continue fulfilling the "road map" plan. The conference participants pointed out that this plan did not work, even its first stage was not fulfilled. Kalugin believes that both the Israeli and the Palestinian sides are responsible for this because they do not fulfil their obligations. Replying to the question about Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza sector, he said that this would be a positive step in the settlement, but it would require cooperation between Tel Aviv and the Palestinian National Authority, as well as assistance of the international community. In particular, the Egyptian units can guard the border sector in the "Philadelphia corridor" - the border strip 100 metres wide and 11 kilometres long. RIAN

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