Middle East Quartet urges Israeli settlement freeze
Ban Ki-moon on settlements freeze
The international Quartet of Middle East peace mediators has called on Israel to freeze all settlement activity.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Israeli-Palestinian talks should lead to a peace agreement within 24 months.
Senior US, EU and Russian officials have met Mr Ban in Moscow to try to push forward the stalled talks.
Their meeting comes amid tension over Israel's announcement of new settler homes in East Jerusalem.
The announcement led the Palestinians to declare they could not begin planned indirect, or "proximity", talks with the Israelis.
 |  Recalling that the annexation of East Jerusalem is not recognised by the international community, the Quartet... condemns the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem  Ban Ki-moon UN Secretary General  |
"The Quartet urges the government of Israel to freeze all settlement activity, including natural growth, dismantle outposts erected since March 2001 and to refrain from demolitions and evictions in East Jerusalem," Mr Ban said.
He was meeting the foreign ministers of the US and Russia - Hillary Clinton and Sergei Lavrov - and the EU's new foreign policy chief Baroness Ashton.
The Quartet condemned Israel's announcement last week of planning permission for 1,600 new housing units in disputed East Jerusalem.
"Recalling that the annexation of East Jerusalem is not recognised by the international community, the Quartet underscores that the status of Jerusalem is a permanent status issue that must be resolved through negotiations between the parties, and condemns the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem," Mr Ban said.
He added that peace talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians should result in an agreement including a Palestinian state, within 24 months.
Gaza violence
On the eve of the Quartet meeting, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu informed Washington of new confidence-building measures on the eve of the meeting but no details have been given.
Events in the Middle East on Thursday highlighted the difficulties the Quartet faces.
 Tensions are high over Israel's new settlement plans |
A rocket fired from the Gaza Strip killed a Thai agricultural worker when it hit an Israeli kibbutz.
Israeli aircraft attacked up to six targets in Gaza overnight but there were no reports of any serious casualties.
The violence came as Baroness Ashton visited Gaza - one of the highest-level visits there by a Western official since the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas took power.
Although no details of Mr Netanyahu's and Mrs Clinton's telephone conversation on Thursday have been given, enough progress was apparently made for George Mitchell, Washington's Middle East envoy, to travel to the region this weekend.
Mr Netanyahu is to visit Washington next week for further talks with Mrs Clinton.
"They discussed specific actions that might be taken to improve the atmosphere for progress toward peace," US state department spokesperson PJ Crowley said in Moscow.
It is likely this means a goodwill gesture by the Israelis, like the release of Palestinian prisoners, our correspondent says.
Mr Crowley added that Washington would now review the prime minister's response and work with Israelis and Palestinian to keep the proximity talks moving forward.
Washington wants those talks to focus on the core issues at the heart of the conflict, like borders and the status of Jerusalem, our correspondent says.
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