Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov appeared on CBS News on Monday evening and discussed several issues including the war in Israel.
If in response to terrorist attacks, which we strongly condemn, like we condemn the attack on Israel civilians on the 7th of October 2023, if in response to these terrorist attacks, the international humanitarian norms would be ignored and the collective punishment means would be applied, then I am afraid, this is an invitation to more barbarian methods of fighting on both sides. On all sides," the Russian diplomat stated.
Lavrov backed up UN Secretary-General António Guterres's statements that the October 7th massacre "did not happen in a vacuum," and said: "There is no excuse for the barbarity of the 7th of October 2023. But I don't think the fact that there is no excuse for this is an excuse for a carte blanche with no less barbarian means of fighting."
When asked about the conflict spreading, the Foreign Minister responded: "Ask the Americans. It's them who are expanding the conflict to the Red Sea, who started aggression against Yemen. We strongly call upon Israelis to stop attacking Syria, including the airports of Damascus and Aleppo, which interrupts the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
Lavrov called on Israel to "stop political killings. In Damascus, several officers of the Iranian Corps of Islamic Revolution were hit by a missile, apparently Israeli."
Lavrov, whose country has uprooted Ukrainians from their land and flattened entire Ukrainian towns, added: "We certainly have to raise our voices not to allow pushing out Palestinians from their land and of course not to allow this land to turn into unlivable space like many environmental scientists are warning."