MOSCOW, August 19 (Itar-Tass) —— Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov condemned terror acts in southern Israel and presented condolences to the families of the victims in a telephone conversation with his Israeli counterpart on Friday.
“There is no excuse for terror acts and those who perpetrate them as a way of the achievement of their goals,” Lavrov said. “This is a severe crime, but it is necessary to stay calm and to avoid reciprocal steps that may harm innocent people.”
The ministers called for the consolidation of international efforts in combating terrorism and discussed some topical aspects of the Middle East peace process, including the upcoming 66th session of the UN General Assembly, and Russian-Israeli relations.
Terrorists attacked passenger buses in the Eilat area, near the Israeli-Egyptian border, on August 18. An Israeli patrol car was blasted by a land bomb.
The Israeli Air Force struck on Gaza early on August 19 morning. The air raid killed the heads of the Palestinian organization Popular Resistance Committee, which Israel had accused of the terror acts, and a child. Several Palestinians were wounded.