The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that "Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during a phone call with his Syrian counterpart Faisal Mekdad today, Tuesday." Lavrov said, "Israeli airstrikes on Syrian territory, which have become more frequent amid events surrounding the Gaza Strip, cannot be accepted." He added, "There are risks from attempts by external forces to turn the Middle East into a stage for geopolitical score-settling."