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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov holds an annual press conference in Moscow, Russia, on January 18. Maxim Shemetov – Reuters

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called for the creation of a Palestinian state while speaking about the situation in Gaza during his annual press conference on Thursday.

“The main direction of efforts should be the creation of a Palestinian state that fully complies with Security Council resolutions, a state that, as written in these resolutions, lives in security and good neighborliness alongside Israel with other states in the region,” Lavrov highlighted.

“Without this, whatever happens, we will see relapses of the violence we are now seeing in Gaza, because without the establishment of a Palestinian state, the Palestinian people will continue to feel disenfranchised, and will continue to live in conditions of substandard justice.” Lavrov argued, calling for the need to “put an end to this.”

Lavrov said that he “hopes that the State of Israel will eventually reach this conclusion,” but he also said that he understands that it is “unacceptable for Israel at this time.”

“We can do nothing but explain this to them,” Lavrov said.

Lavrov then urged that US mediation efforts will not succeed unless there is “direct dialogue between Palestinians and Israelis.”

Let us assume, so to speak, that “grown men” somewhere will agree on how the Palestinians will continue to live and then present it to you. It won't be a success. Lavrov stressed that it is only necessary to restore direct dialogue.