Israel summons Russian envoy to protest inviting Hamas to Moscow

The Israeli Foreign Ministry yesterday summoned Russian Ambassador Anatoly Viktorov to protest Moscow’s hosting of a delegation from the Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, last week, Anadolu news agency reported.

“Russia’s Ambassador to Israel, Anatoly Viktorov, was summoned this morning to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem following the visit of the Hamas delegation to Moscow,” the ministry said.

It added that Ambassador Simona Halperin, the deputy director of the Eurasia Division at the Foreign Ministry, explained to Viktorov that Israel views with seriousness the lack of clear and frank condemnation by Moscow of Hamas.

The statement noted that Halperin also expressed her dissatisfaction with “Russia’s behaviour in international organisations.” “Hosting Hamas leaders, who are directly responsible for the attack that occurred on Oct. 7, the hostage-taking and the bloodshed of more than 1,400 Israelis at their hands, conveys a message of legitimacy for terrorism against Israelis,” she said.

On Thursday, the Russian foreign ministry confirmed the arrival of a Hamas delegation to Moscow.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the schedule of the Hamas delegation’s visit to Moscow “does not include any contacts with the Kremlin,” but the delegation met with Russian Foreign Ministry officials and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri.

On 11 October, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Israel’s settlement policy is one of the reasons for the war. “Some of the land that Palestinians consider and have always considered to be part of the original Palestinian land has been occupied by Israel at different times and in different ways. Mostly, of course, with the help of military force.”

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