Discussions Russia - Saudi Arabia about a solution to the conflict in the Middle East

The Minister of Foreign Affairs from Moscow, Sergey Lavrov, yesterday had a telephone discussion with his Saudi counterpart, Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, regarding the situation in the Middle East, respectively a solution to the conflict between Israel and Hamas, according to the announcement made by Russia, reports Reuters.

The two ministers also addressed bilateral relations between their countries, as well as cooperation within BRICS, to which Saudi Arabia is to join on January 1, 2024.

Russia, a major oil exporter, coordinated with Saudi Arabia to reduce production last year, within OPEC+, in order to support the price of crude oil.

• Netanyahu compares the dead civilians in Gaza to the victims of World War II bombings

Following criticism regarding the high number of civilian casualties in the Gaza Strip, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu compared the war against the Islamist group Hamas to the Allies' fight against the Nazis in World War II, according to DPA.

Despite civilian casualties, the Allies in World War II were not told "don't eradicate Nazism," Netanyahu said. The statement came in response to the curiosity of a journalist, who asked him if Israel is collectively punishing the people of Gaza for the terror of Hamas through airstrikes, notes Agerpres.

As an example, Netanyahu mentioned an attack by British pilots in Copenhagen during the Second World War.

Referring to a bombing in 1945 in which a school was accidentally hit, Netanyahu recounted the incident in a press conference.

"In 1944, the Royal Air Force bombed the Gestapo headquarters in Copenhagen, a perfectly legitimate target," Netanyahu said, noting: "But the British pilots missed and instead of the Gestapo headquarters, they hit a nearby children's hospital and I think that 84 children died horribly burned. It was not a war crime. It's not something you can blame Britain for. This was a legitimate act of war with the tragic consequences that accompany such legitimate actions. The Allies continued to fight the war to the end, despite the tragic consequences. They knew that the future of civilization was at stake. Well, I tell you that even now the future of our civilization is at stake".