Russia Says International Law and the Two-State Formula Must Remain the Basis for the Palestinian-Israeli Settlement

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said that, in recent times, several think tanks funded by Western government structures have once again begun promoting various “alternative schemes” for the future of Palestine.

In a statement issued on June 8, 2026, Zakharova said these proposals include questionable ideas suggesting the association of Palestinian territories with neighbouring Arab states.

According to her, such ideas are not new. Similar proposals have been voiced before, but they were firmly rejected by both the Palestinian people and Arab states. She said history has shown that such initiatives are unrealistic and inconsistent with the international legal framework for the Palestinian settlement.

Zakharova cited UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, the Arab Peace Initiative, and the Madrid Principles as the key foundations for resolving the Palestinian issue. She argued that those promoting such “alternative concepts” are undermining these decisions, ignoring the will of the peoples of the region, and promoting a neo-colonial approach.

She said efforts should focus not on dismantling international law or conducting detached political experiments, but on launching direct negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis. In practical terms, the parties should address the final status of the Palestinian territories and the parameters of a two-state formula acceptable to all sides.

Zakharova also warned that attempts to pursue a Middle East settlement while bypassing the positions of Arab states are doomed to fail and will not bring sustainable stability. She said this is especially relevant now, as the security of the Middle East faces a new acute crisis following what she described as the US and Israeli attack on Iran.

In the current context, she said, the only viable alternative is to establish coordinated international and regional efforts.

Zakharova stated that Russia’s position is consistent and based on the trust shown by countries of the region in Russian foreign policy. She said Russia supports a negotiated settlement of the Palestinian issue and other regional contradictions.

She stressed that historical justice must prevail and that Palestinians must be given the opportunity to establish an independent state in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Such a state, she said, should coexist with Israel in peace and security.

According to Zakharova, Russia is open to engaging with constructively minded partners on this basis. She said all external actors must strictly adhere to binding UN Security Council resolutions, act according to unified rules, and send coordinated signals to all parties to the conflict.

She added that Russia’s initiatives, particularly the UN-endorsed proposal to convene an international conference on the Middle East, are aimed precisely at achieving these objectives.