Called Quartet Of Middle East Mediators Is Calling On Israel To Freeze All Settlement Activities

MOSCOW : The so-called Quartet of Middle East mediators is calling on Israel to freeze all settlement activities and denouncing Israel’s aim to build new housing in East Jerusalem.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon read a joint statement by the members — Russia, the United States, the U.N. and the European Union — following a Quartet meeting in Moscow Friday.

“The Quartet urges the government of Israel to freeze all settlement activities … and to refrain from demolitions and evictions,” said the statement read by Ban.

It “condemns the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem.”

Those plans this month caused prospects for indirect Israeli-Palestinian talks to co