NEW YORK March 12, 2012 (WAFA) – Quartet members of Middle East mediators met Monday in New York to discuss developments in the Palestinian-Israeli peace process, according to a press release.
The Quartet, composed of the United States, Russia, European Union and United Nations, along with Quartet representative Tony Blair held informal consultations to assess developments since the Quartet has issued its September 23 statement.
The statement had called on the Palestinians and Israelis to resume negotiations, giving the parties three months to present views on borders and security.
“Quartet Principals remain committed to the overall objectives of the statement,” said the statement issued at the conclusion of their meeting.
“In this regard, they welcome the important effort led by Jordan, which began in early January, as part of the shared commitment to reach a negotiated agreement by the end of this year.”
Jordan organized five rounds of exploratory talks that brought the two sides together on the same table for the first time in over a year. However, when Israel failed to present views on borders and security by the end of the third month, the Palestinians suspended their participation in the talks.
In addition to discussing revival of the stalled peace talks, the Quartet “also discussed the grave situation in Gaza and southern Israel, expressed serious concern for the recent escalation and called for calm,” said the statement.
Ban had also expressed “grave concern” at the latest escalation of violence in Gaza and Israel.
“The situation in Gaza is yet again proving its unsustainability,” he told a special Security Council meeting on the Arab Spring following the meeting with the Quartet.
“I am gravely concerned at the latest escalation between Gaza and Israel, and once again civilians are paying a terrible price,” he said.
“Rocket attacks out of Gaza against Israeli civilian areas are unacceptable and must stop immediately. I reiterate my call on Israel to exercise maximum restraint,” he said.
Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, strongly denounced Ban’s statements on Gaza.
“The position of Ban Ki-moon from the Zionist aggression against the Gaza Strip is a scandalous bias to the occupation and a blatant breach of the UN Charter,” it said in a statement.
It said Ban put all the blame on the victim, meaning the Palestinians, while stopped short of condemning the executor, Israel, which started the aggression and is shelling the unarmed civilians.
Speaking at the same session, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton strongly denounced the missile attacks on Israel while did not saying anything about the Israeli air raids and shelling.
'We condemn in the strongest terms the rocket fire from Gaza by terrorists into southern Israel,' said Clinton. 'We call on those responsible to take immediate action to stop these cowardly acts. And we call on both sides to make every effort to restore calm.'
The Quartet decided to meet again in Washington in April to follow up on developments.
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