October 9, 2011 (Al Jazeera)
October 9, 2011 (Al Jazeera)
Diplomats representing the Middle East Quartet – the United States, European Union, United Nations and Russia – are due to meet in Brussels to discuss ways to restart talks between the Palestinians and Israel.
“The purpose is to review progress and keep up the momentum, with the overall objective of encouraging the parties to return to negotiations,” EU spokesman Michael Mann said.
Palestinian officials have rejected Quartet calls for a resumption of direct negotiations, which have been on hold since 2008.
They say the Quartet has failed to prevent Israel building settlements on occupied land, which Palestinians consider a precondition for returning to direct negotiations, along with Israeli acceptance of an eventual return to pre-1967 borders
Israel has announced plans to build 1,100 new housing units in occupied East Jerusalem despite claiming it is ready to resume Quartet-brokered talks.
Palestinian officials have also accused the Quartet’s special envoy, Tony Blair, of trying to lobby European countries against their bid for statehood recognition at the UN last month.
Some have suggested that he hand in his resignation, citing alleged conflicts of interest between his role and his business interests.
“The expected thing from him to do is to say ‘I’m sorry, goodbye’,” Mohammad Shtayyeh, a senior Palestinian official, told Al Jazeera.
“The biggest problem that he did for us was speaking against our step towards the UN. You cannot be a mediator of the Quartet when 50 per cent of the Quartet support our step.”
The UN Security Council, the only body that can bestow full membership, is currently reviewing the Palestinian request, which was presented by Palestinian Liberation Organisation President Mahmoud Abbas in New York last month.
But Washington has already pledged to veto any such resolution, saying it would worsen prospects for a direct settlement between the Palestinians and Israel.
Mediators from the Quartet have met sporadically in a so-far fruitless effort to bring the two sides together again. The Quartet has proposed a resumption in negotiations with the target of reaching an agreement by the end of 2012.
