Hawzah News Agency (Moscow - Russia) - During a visit to Russia, the head of the Palestinian Hamas resistance movement’s political bureau has praised Moscow for defending Palestinian rights and dismissing a pro-Israel proposal devised by the US on the Middle East conflict.

At a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on Monday, Ismail Haniyeh said that Russia has a long history of backing the Palestinian cause.

According to a press release on the Hamas website, Haniyeh “thanked Russia for supporting the Palestinian rights at different regional and international platforms.”

“He also expressed his appreciation to Russia for its position towards [US President Donald] Trump’s deal, as rejecting the deal comes in line with the consensual stance of the Palestinian people,” it added.

Trump released his self-proclaimed “deal of the century” during an event at the White House alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington on January 28.

The so-called ‘Vision for Peace’ bars Palestinian refugees from returning to their homeland, regards al-Quds (Jerusalem) as “Israel’s undivided capital” and allows the regime to annex West Bank settlements and the Jordan Valley.

All Palestinian groups have unanimously rejected the US scheme, which largely meets Israel’s demands while creating a Palestinian state with limited control over its own security and borders.

On February 2, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Trump’s proposal is not fully compliant with United Nations Security Council resolutions

Peskov further noted that the negative reaction of Palestinians to the US initiative “raises doubts over its viability.