BICOM

Quartet representatives met separately with Israeli and Palestinian officials in Jerusalem yesterday and following the meetings called on both parties to resume direct talks “without delay or preconditions”. The Quartet – the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations – also called on both sides to create an atmosphere conducive to resume talks without delay and urged both sides to refrain from provocative actions.

This is the third time the Quartet has held such meetings in Jerusalem, and put out a similar statement, since 23 September, when it issued a framework for returning to talks and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas went to the UN to ask for recognition of a Palestinian state.

The 23 September Quartet statement also proposed a four month timetable for the two sides to make proposals on borders and security. This period will expire on 23 January, after which the Palestinians may renew efforts to seek recognition at the UN.

Unlike the past two Quartet meetings held in Jerusalem, Quartet representatives did not meet with Palestinian Authoirty chief negotiator Saeb Erekat – who was in Brussels – but with lower level Palestinian officials. On the Israeli side, they met, as usual, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s envoy Yitzhak Molcho.