Russia says deeply concerned by Golan clashes

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Russia says deeply concerned by Golan clashes

MOSCOW | Mon Jun 6, 2011 11:57am EDT

(Reuters) - Russia said on Monday it was " deeply concerned " by an upsurge in

confrontation between Israelis and Palestinians on Sunday that Syria said killed

23 demonstrators and injured 350 in the Golan Heights.

" We express deep concern in relation to the new surge of Israeli-Palestinian

confrontations. The death and injury of many peaceful demonstrators in the

course of these protests is of particular concern, " the Foreign Ministry said in

a statement.

Israel accused Syria on Monday of orchestrating the lethal confrontations in

which Israeli troops fired on Palestinian protesters who surged against the

fortified boundary fence on Syria's Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon said live Israeli fire had caused casualties and U.N.

monitors were " seeking to confirm facts. "

Israel contested the Syrian account and said President Bashar al-Assad was

trying to shift world attention from the security forces' killing of at least

1,100 Syrians while suppressing anti-government revolts.

Sunday's protest was held to mark the 44th anniversary of the 1967 Middle East

war, when Israel captured the Golan Heights, as well as the West Bank and the

Gaza Strip where Palestinians want to establish a state.

(Reporting by Grove, editing by Tim Pearce)