UN seeking Quartet meeting on Mideast
Israeli plans to annex parts of West Bank would be ‘devastating blow’ to peace process
The UN Mideast envoy is trying to arrange a meeting of key global mediators to discuss prospects and threats to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the UN has said.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said it would be beneficial to have a meeting of the so-called Mideast Quartet — the UN, US, Russia and the European Union — take place “as soon as possible”.
He was responding to a question on whether it was imperative for the Quartet to meet before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu goes ahead with plans to annex parts of the West Bank starting next month, in line with President Donald Trump’s Mideast peace plan.
Last month, Nikolay Mladenov, special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, told Israel it should abandon its plans to annex parts of the Occupied West Bank, warning that going ahead would deal “a devastating blow” to the two-state solution.
Until we have dialogue, there’s going to be nothing. So I’m really stressing, and really pushing, whether it be through a Quartet [or engagement with Israeli and Palestinian ambassadors at the UN].” Kelly Craft | US envoy to the UN
US peace plan
He also called on the US, Russia and EU to work with the UN to quickly come up with a proposal to enable the Quartet to take up their mediation role.
The US plan envisions leaving about one third of the West Bank, which Israel captured in 1967, under permanent Israeli control, while granting the Palestinians expanded autonomy in the remainder of the territory.
The Palestinians, who seek all of the West Bank as part of an independent state, have rejected the plan, saying it unfairly favours Israel.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said the Palestinians will no longer be committed to any signed agreements with Israel or the US following Israel’s annexation pledge. He has called for negotiations under international auspices to advance a two-state solution.
Kelly Craft, the US ambassador to the United Nations, reiterated at a press briefing Friday that the Trump peace plan is “not set in stone” and said the administration has been working to bring Israel and the Palestinians to the negotiating table to discuss it.
“Until we have dialogue, there’s going to be nothing,” she said. “So I’m really stressing, and really pushing, whether it be through a Quartet” or engagement with Israeli and Palestinian ambassadors at the UN that “we have — you have — to get to the table.’’