Six months into the Palestinian uprising, Russian politicians seem to have shifted their position regarding the unrest. Having initially described the situation between Palestinians and Israelis as a state of tension that must end, Russians now are referring to Palestinian attacks on Israelis as acts of terror.

Back in October, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing its deep concern about the growing tensions and the escalating wave of violence between the Palestinians and Israel, calling on both parties for self-control. Perhaps the Russian position aligned with the generally accepted balanced positions of the diplomatic Quartet on the Middle East (United Nations, United States, Russia and the European Union) regarding Palestinians and Israelis.

However, on March 8, Russia issued a statement addressing a stabbing attack by a Palestinian in Jaffa that killed an American Jew and injured four Russian Jews: “Moscow strongly condemns these terrorist attacks targeting civilians, whatever the reasons behind them." Then on March 9, the Russian Foreign Ministry expressed an unprecedented position in its diplomatic statement, strongly condemning what it called Palestinian terrorist attacks against Israelis.

This change in Russian rhetoric raises questions about a possible change in Russia's policy toward the Palestinian cause. It could also be seen as a shift in what Palestinians perceived as a Russian position that was balanced between Palestinians and Israelis.