For those observing the Palestine-Israel conflict for decades now knew it was another instance of the back and forth cycle of violence playing itself and history repeating itself.
When Palestinian Islamist group Hamas attacked Israel on Saturday, it put a lot at stake in the process; but most of all, it risked Palestinian aspirations for statehood and the ambitions of Palestine's main supporter Iran.
On Sunday, Arab League Chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit headed to Moscow for talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to discuss the situation in Gaza.
![Hamas fires barrage of rockets at Israel, begins new military op [details]](https://data1.ibtimes.co.in/en/full/790588/hamas-fires-barrage-rockets-israel-begins-new-military-op-details.jpg?h=450&l=50&t=40 "Hamas fires barrage of rockets at Israel, begins new military op [details]")
The development was confirmed by spokesmen for the Cairo-based league of Arab states who said that Aboul Gheit will discuss the "ongoing escalation in the Gaza strip." Gheit has formerly served as Egypt's foreign minister during Hosni Mubarak's rule. The visit, reportedly, is to hold detailed discussions on regional and international issues pertaining to the escalation in the Gaza strip.
It jeopardizes Middle East geopolitics
The assault, one of the biggest incursions into Israel in decades, coincides with many other political developments. With the U.S pushing Saudi Arabia to normalize ties with Israel in return for a defense deal between US and Saudi Arabia.
Russia expresses grave concern
Shortly after the Hamas' attack, Russia expressed its "grave concern" and called out both sides–Israel and Palestine to cease violence. It also blamed the West for blocking the Middle East Quartet. Russia also said that a proper negotiation was necessary to provide for the creation of an independent Palestine with a capital in East Jerusalem.
"We regard the current escalation as another extremely dangerous manifestation of a vicious circle of violence resulting from chronic failure to comply with the corresponding resolutions of the UN and its Security Council and the blocking by the West of the work of the Middle East Quartet of international mediators made up of Russia, the United States, the EU and the UN," foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. This is not the first time that Russia has backed its support for Palestine's cause.
US strongly condemns Hamas
While the US even called on the council's 15 members to also condemn the attack by Hamas, meanwhile, Iran denies any involvement in the attacks launched by Hamas. "We emphatically stand in unflinching support of Palestine, however, we are not involved in Palestine's response as it is taken solely by Palestine itself," reads a statement by Iran's mission to the UN. Many reports, including one by the Wall Street Journal claim that Iran helped plot the attack on Israel.
UN Security Council fails to issue joint statement
One of the many pointers to the complexity of the situation being the fact that the UN Security Council failed to achieve unanimity needed for a joint statement. The UN Security Council met behind closed doors in an emergency session held amid the war between Israel and Hamas.
On Saturday, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israeli towns adjacent to the Gaza strip. It fired a barrage of thousands of rockets, gunned down civilians and took at least 100 hostages. The conflict's death toll has surged above 1100. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced to the nation to brace up for a, "long and difficult war."
