ME Quartet slams Israeli settlement plans

The Middle East diplomatic Quartet has condemned Israel’s plans to build new housing units in annexed East Jerusalem al-Quds.

The group, compriding of the European Union, the United States, Russia and the United Nations, “condemns Israel’s decision to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem.”

“The Quartet reaffirms that unilateral actions taken by either party cannot prejudge the outcome of negotiations and will not be recognized by the international community,” the group said in a statement released Friday.

The Quartet said that the Palestinian-Israeli peace and the creation of “an independent, contiguous and viable state of Palestine is in the fundamental interests of the parties, of all states in the region, and of the international community.”

The party said it had agreed to closely monitor developments in Jerusalem and to keep under consideration “additional steps that may be required to address the situation on the ground.”

Israel announced Tuesday during a visit by US Vice President Joe Biden that 1,600 new settler homes would be built in East al-Quds.

The announcement was made as indirect talks with the Palestinians appeared to have been resumed under United States mediation.

The Palestinians, however, said they would not enter direct or indirect peace negotiations with Israel unless it halts its new settlement plans.