Israeli settlement crisis clouds Mideast talks
Saturday, 20 March 2010
MOSCOW, Mar 19 (Reuters): Middle East mediators from Europe, the United States, Russia and the UN met Friday seeking to defuse the latest crisis in peace efforts between Israel and the Palestinians.
"All of us today hope to arrive at some common conclusions which will help to promote the beginning of a dialogue between the two sides," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at the start of talks.
But the meeting of the Middle East quartet of peace mediators in Moscow was overshadowed by a serious row over Israel's plans to expand settlements in occupied East Jerusalem and an upsurge in violence in the Gaza Strip.
Relations between Washington and Israel have been frayed by Israel unveiling plans for 1,600 fresh housing units in disputed territory during a visit by US Vice President Joe Biden last week.
The Palestinians, who regard the land as part of their future capital, say they will not go ahead with plans for indirect peace talks unless the housing scheme is scrapped.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in Moscow for the quartet meeting, discussed steps to improve the outlook for Israeli-Palestinian peace by telephone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Thursday.
Netanyahu's spokesman Nir Chefetz said the Israeli leader had proposed some "mutual confidence-building steps" that both Israel and the Palestinians could take in the West Bank. He declined to spell these out.
Meanwhile, AFP from Moscow adds: Israel and the United States share a "strong and enduring" relationship despite recent tensions over planned new Jewish settlements, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Friday.
"Our relationship is ongoing. It is deep and broad, strong and enduring," Clinton said after a meeting of the International Quartet on the Middle East in Moscow.
"All of us today hope to arrive at some common conclusions which will help to promote the beginning of a dialogue between the two sides," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at the start of talks.
But the meeting of the Middle East quartet of peace mediators in Moscow was overshadowed by a serious row over Israel's plans to expand settlements in occupied East Jerusalem and an upsurge in violence in the Gaza Strip.
Relations between Washington and Israel have been frayed by Israel unveiling plans for 1,600 fresh housing units in disputed territory during a visit by US Vice President Joe Biden last week.
The Palestinians, who regard the land as part of their future capital, say they will not go ahead with plans for indirect peace talks unless the housing scheme is scrapped.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in Moscow for the quartet meeting, discussed steps to improve the outlook for Israeli-Palestinian peace by telephone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Thursday.
Netanyahu's spokesman Nir Chefetz said the Israeli leader had proposed some "mutual confidence-building steps" that both Israel and the Palestinians could take in the West Bank. He declined to spell these out.
Meanwhile, AFP from Moscow adds: Israel and the United States share a "strong and enduring" relationship despite recent tensions over planned new Jewish settlements, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Friday.
"Our relationship is ongoing. It is deep and broad, strong and enduring," Clinton said after a meeting of the International Quartet on the Middle East in Moscow.