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Quartet calls for calm, restraint amid escalating Middle East tensions

Xinhua, October 24, 2015 Adjust font size:

Representatives of the Quartet on the Middle East, namely the United Nations, the United States, the European Union (EU) and Russia, on Friday called for calm and restraint amid escalating tensions between Israelis and Palestinians.

"The Quartet expresses grave concern over the continuing escalation of tensions between Israelis and Palestinians. The Quartet condemns all acts of terror and violence against civilians," noted a joint statement issued after a meeting of Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, UN Middle East coordinator Nickolay Mladenov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Vienna.

The Middle East peace mediators also urged Israel to work together with Jordan to "uphold the status quo at the holy sites in Jerusalem in both word and practice."

Mogherini told a press conference here that the meeting is to "pass a united message to our Israeli and Palestinian friends in these moments of tension and violence on the ground."

The past three weeks saw a series of deadly clashes between Palestinians and Israelis in east Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

The Quartet statement stressed the urgent need to restore calm the Quartet reiterates its call for maximum restraint and avoidance of provocative rhetoric and actions.

The Quartet reaffirmed commitment to act in coordination with regional and international stakeholders to stabilize the situation and to support "a just, comprehensive and lasting settlement" of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Endit