United Nations Radio

Israel has been urged to stop building settlements and set a bold target for a final deal with the Palestinians by 2012 as efforts continue to try to kickstart the stalled peace process.

Israeli settlement

The call comes from the Quartet for the Middle East made up of the United Nations, the European Union, the United States and Russia.

A statement read by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the end of the meeting of the Quartet said "the Quartet urges the government of Israel to freeze all settlement activity."

He said at the meeting hosted by Russia that Israel should also halt natural settlement growth, dismantle outposts erected since March 2001 and refrain from demolitions and evictions in east Jerusalem. East Jerusalem is the mainly Arab half of the Holy City which was captured and then annexed by Israel after the 1967 Six Day War.

The Quartet "reaffirms that unilateral actions taken by either party cannot prejudge the outcome of negotiations and will not be recognized by the international community," Secretary-General Ban added, reading from the Quartet's statement.

With the peace process stagnant, Ban said the Quartet also urged Israel and the Palestinians to resume talks on final status issues with the aim of finding a settlement "within 24 months".

He said such a settlement would end "the occupation which began in 1967 and result in the emergence of an independent, democratic and viable Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel".

This is Donn Bobb reporting for United Nations Radio
Duration: 1'25"