Moscow says Israeli troops didn’t intervene as settlers attacked a Russian diplomatic automobile and verbally threatened diplomats.
Moscow has lodged a proper criticism with Israel over an attack by Israeli settlers on a Russian diplomatic automobile close to an unlawful settlement within the occupied West Financial institution.
Russia’s Ministry of International Affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated in an announcement on Tuesday that Moscow thought-about the assault a “gross violation of the Vienna Conference on Diplomatic Relations of 1961”, and expressed “bewilderment and disapproval” that the assault “occurred with the connivance of Israeli army personnel”.
In response to Zakharova, the automobile belonging to Russia’s illustration to the Palestinian Authority (PA) and bearing diplomatic registration plates was attacked on July 30 close to the “unlawful Israeli settlement of Giv’at Asaf”, positioned east of Ramallah and a few 20km (12 miles) north of Jerusalem, by a bunch of settlers.
“The automobile sustained mechanical harm. The assault was accompanied by verbal threats directed on the Russian diplomats,” the spokeswoman stated, including that Israeli troopers current “didn’t even trouble to cease the aggressive actions of the attackers”.
In response to experiences in Russian media, the automobile got here below assault whereas carrying members of Russia’s diplomatic mission to the PA, who’re additionally accredited with Israel’s International Ministry.
The Russian Embassy in Tel Aviv has despatched a demarche letter to Israeli authorities, Zakharova added.
Russia’s first deputy everlasting consultant to the United Nations, Dmitry Polyansky, raised the assault on the diplomatic automobile at a UN Safety Council session on Tuesday centered on Israeli captives in Gaza.
Polyansky stated the assault on Russia’s automobile within the occupied West Financial institution comes at a time when “Israeli authorities have embraced the coverage of cleaning and colonising” the Palestinian territory.
“It’s atypical Palestinians and even foreigners who each day turn out to be victims of relentless raids by safety forces and settler violence,” Russia’s UN consultant stated.
The “assault on an official automobile of the Russian Mission to the Palestinian Authority” was carried out “below the lenient eye of the Israeli army”, he stated.
“It’s clear {that a} systematic coverage of exiling Palestinians – whether or not from the Gaza Strip or the West Financial institution – is fraught with new dangers and risks for stability and safety within the Center East and will as soon as once more carry the area to the brink of a significant struggle,” he added.
Violent attacks by Israeli settlers and troopers within the occupied West Financial institution have surged since October 2023, with the UN reporting that nearly 650 Palestinians – together with 121 kids – have been killed within the territory by Israeli forces and settlers between January 1, 2024 and the beginning of July 2025.
An additional 5,269 Palestinians have been injured throughout that interval, together with 1,029 kids. Settler assaults alone accounted for greater than 2,200 casualties and circumstances of harm to property, the UN stated.