Moscow, September 17 (RHC)-- The Russian Foreign Ministry says it would be a “mistake” to think lasting peace in the Middle East region could be secured without resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying the Palestinian issue remains "acute" despite normalization agreements between Israel and a number of Arab countries.

“Taking into account the ongoing progress in the process of normalizing relations between Israel and a number of Arab countries, we state that the Palestinian problem remains acute,” the ministry said in a statement released on Thursday.

“It would be wrong to think that without its settlement it will be possible to achieve reliable stabilization of the Middle Eastern region," it added.  Moscow urged regional and global players to “ramp up coordinated efforts” to solve the issue.

“In this regard, we call on regional and international partners to intensify coordinated efforts in this important area. Russia is ready for such joint work, including in the framework of the [so-called] Quartet" on the Middle East -- comprising the U.S., Russia, the EU and the United Nations -- and "in close coordination with the Arab League.” 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed agreements with Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani in a US-brokered event hosted by President Donald Trump at the White House.

Palestinians, who seek an independent state in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, with East Jerusalem as its capital view the deals as betrayal of their cause.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas protested the normalization deals with Israel on Tuesday, saying they will be fruitless as long as the United States and the Israeli regime do not recognize the rights of the Palestinian nation and refuse to resolve the issue of Palestinian refugees.