Russia urges countries to avoid action potentially destabilising Middle East

The Kremlin on Tuesday urged countries, especially those in the Middle East quartet of mediators, to avoid action that might inflame tensions in the region, after dozens of Palestinian protesters were killed on the Gaza border.

Israeli troops shot dead dozens of Palestinian protesters on the Gaza border on Monday when the high-profile opening of the U.S. embassy to Israel in Jerusalem by the Trump administration raised tension to boiling point after weeks of demonstrations.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told newsmen on a conference call that Moscow was very concerned by the deaths of dozens of Palestinians and said the Kremlin was closely monitoring the situation.

Since 2002, the Quartet of Middle East peace negotiators comprising the U.S., Russia, the European Union and the United Nations had been assigned to promote peace efforts, but have failed to secure any result.