MOSCOW - Top international diplomats on Friday called on Israel and the Palestinians to return to peace negotiations with a goal of reaching a final settlement that would create an independent Palestinian state within 24 months. They reiterated their condemnation of Israel's latest move to add Jewish housing in disputed east Jerusalem but did not escalate criticism of the Jewish state. The so-called Quartet peacemakers met in the Russian capital and issued a formal statement read by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Joining the UN chief at the Moscow meeting were US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, and the Quartet's special representative, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Lavrov told a joint news conference that the Israelis and Palestinians should move first to indirect talks, followed by face-to-face negotiations. Those indirect talks were to have started last week but were stalled by reaction to Israel's announcement of new housing in east Jerusalem. Clinton said she expects to see Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington next week. "We are all committed to the launching of proximity talks between the Israelis and Palestinians," Clinton told reporters. A spokesman for Netanyahu had no comment on the statement. George Mitchell, the US Mideast peace envoy, is to meet in coming days with Israeli and Palestinian leaders in hopes of getting the process restarted. Mitchell attended Friday's talks. The fragile situation is Gaza was one of the key focuses of the Quartet's formal statement. The diplomats expressed concern at the humanitarian situation there.
