The Middle East Quartet of international mediators met in Moscow on Friday and called on Israel to cease settlement construction in east Jerusalem.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and the Quartet's special representative Tony Blair took part in the talks.
Both Ban and Clinton condemned Israel’s housing plans and said that all settlement activity must be halted. "The Quartet urges the government of Israel to freeze all settlement activity, including natural growth, dismantle outposts erected since March 2001 and to refrain from demolitions and evictions in East Jerusalem," Ban said.
"We all condemn the announcement [of housing plans] and we are all expecting both parties to move toward the proximity talks," Clinton added.
On Wednesday, chief Palestinian presidential advisor Sahib Oreikat pulled out of the Quartet meeting, citing the "deterioration in the situation in the Palestinian territories.”
"The members of the Quartet have agreed that we will use every available opportunity to encourage the Israelis and Palestinians to resume indirect talks. We think that the announcement that we have made today states very clearly the assessment of the situation and paves the way first towards the start of indirect talks, and then to direct talks," Lavrov said.
