Moscow: The Middle East Quartet on Thursday said that peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians should result in a settlement within 24 months, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said.
“The Quartet believes these negotiations should lead to a settlement negotiated between the parties within 24 months,” Ban, who is travelling to Gaza tomorrow, said.
The Quartet earlier called for a freeze on Israeli colony building in occupied territories.
The Quartet — Russia, the US, the United Nations and the EU — issued a statement repeating its condemnation of Israel’s plans to build 1,600 new colony units.
While Israel warned against setting target dates for the peace deal, Palestinians hailed the Quartet’s call.
The call from the Quartet setting a 2012 target for a peace deal and for a halt to Jewish colony activity harms the chances of a settlement, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said. “Peace cannot be imposed artificially and with an unrealistic calendar,” Lieberman said.
In the West Bank, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Israel must comply with the Quartet’s call as a means to clear the way for peace negotiations.
“The statement by the Quartet in which it urges Israel to freeze settlement [colony] activity, including natural growth, is very important but what is more important is that Israel should comply so that the peace process can restart,” he said in a statement.
