MOSCOW Russia expresses its most serious concern at the sharp aggravation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Saturday.

"We call on the Palestinian and Israeli sides to implement an immediate ceasefire, renounce violence, exercise the necessary restraint and establish, with the assistance of the international community, a negotiation process aimed at establishing a comprehensive, lasting and long-awaited peace in the Middle East," she said in a statement.

Russia is in contact with Israel, the Palestinians and Arab countries over the flare-up, the Interfax news agency reported earlier, citing Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov.

(Reporting by Reuters; editing by Jason Neely and Andrew Cawthorne)