Russia on Thursday becomes the first and only western country to condemn Israel's "disproportionate" use of force in air strikes on the Gaza Strip. "Attacks on the south of Israel and the disproportionate strikes on Gaza — especially when civilians are killed on both sides — are completely unacceptable," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Alexander Lukashevich told reporters. Lukashevich also criticized Palestinian militants saying that they should halt firing rockets at Israel. The Russian official stressed that the violence was especially dangerous because it came against the backdrop of existing regional instability linked to the conflict in Syria and last year's war in Libya. Lukashevich said Israel and the Palestinians were now pursuing a course that could lead to still further bloodshed between them while threatening to degenerate into a broader conflict. "We strongly appeal on all the involved parties to immediately end their armed confrontation and to keep the conflict from resulting in still further bloodshed," the Russian spokesperson told a weekly briefing. "We believe that considering the fragile situation in the Middle East and the entire North African region, such large flare-ups of violence are fraught with dangerous consequences, including in other parts of the Arab world." But William Hague, the British Foreign Secretary, said that Hamas "bears principal responsibility" for the surge in deadly Gaza violence, saying it should cease attacks against Israel immediately. He also strongly urged Israel to do its utmost to reduce tensions, avoid civilian casualties and help create the conditions for peace, warning: "It is imperative to avoid the risk of a spiral of violence." Hague said he was "gravely concerned" by the situation in Gaza and southern Israel, as Israeli warplanes pounded the Palestinian territory for a second day amid fierce fighting sparked by Israel's targeted killing of a top Hamas chief on Wednesday. "Hamas bears principal responsibility for the current crisis," Hague said in a statement. "I utterly condemn rocket attacks from Gaza into southern Israel by Hamas and other armed groups. This creates an intolerable situation for Israeli civilians in southern Israel, who have the right to live without fear of attack from Gaza." "The rocket attacks also risk worsening the plight of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, which is already precarious." "Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza should cease attacks against Israel immediately. I call on those in the region with influence over Hamas to use that influence to bring about an end to the attacks." He also warned Israel that its assault, which has prompted an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, risked escalating tensions in the region. "I also strongly urge Israel to do their utmost to reduce tension, avoid civilian casualties and increase the prospects for both sides to live in peace," Hague said.
