President Medvedev had this to say yesterday whilst on a visit to the West Bank:

"Russia's position remains unchanged, Russia made its choice a long time ago ... We supported and we will support the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to an independent state with its capital in East Jerusalem."

Medvedev continued: "We discussed the conditions for resuming talks with Israel, which include continued self-control and strictly abiding by commitments and, before anything else, freezing all Israeli settlement activities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem."

Along with the collection of S. American countries that have recognised the Palestinian state Russia has also added its support to a free and unoccupied Palestine in the 1967 borders.

Along with the EU and Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, Medvedev has explicitly called for the freezing of the illegal settlement building on occupied territory.

The growing feeling is that sympathy around the world is leaning in favour of an independent and contiguous Palestine alongside Israel.