Quartet voices concern over Israeli settlements

PARIS (Reuters) - The Quartet of Middle East peace mediators said on Monday it was concerned at Israel's announcement of new settlement building, calling on all sides in the conflict to "refrain from steps that undermine confidence".

Plans for new Israeli settlements this month have drawn rare criticism from the United States, as well as the European Union, saying it could undermine Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts launched at a conference in Annapolis, Maryland, last month.

"The Quartet expressed concern over the announcement of new housing tenders for Har Homa/Jabal abu Ghneim," said the Quartet, made up of Russia, the European Union, the United States and the United Nations.

Israeli construction at the same settlement derailed a previous round of peace talks in 1997.

"Principals called for all sides to refrain from steps that undermine confidence, and underscored the importance of avoiding any actions that could prejudice the outcome of permanent status negotiations," the Quartet said in a statement.

Israel plans to build 307 homes and other units in an existing settlement near Jerusalem on land Israel annexed from the West Bank after it occupied the territory in 1967.

Israeli says the settlement at Har Homa, known as Abu Ghneim by Arabs, falls outside commitments in the 2003 road map peace plan because it was annexed to Israel.

The Quartet urged both Israel and Palestinians to make progress on their roadmap obligations, including an Israeli freeze on settlements, removal of unauthorized outposts, and opening of East Jerusalem institutions, and Palestinian steps to end violence, terrorism, and incitement.

The Quartet meeting was attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, Portuguese Foreign Minister Luis Amado, EU Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner and Quartet Representative Tony Blair.

The mediators welcomed the success of last month's meeting in the U.S. city of Annapolis, which launched the first peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians in seven years.

On Monday, international donors at a Paris conference pledged $7.4 billion in aid to the Palestinians over the next three years in support of the Western-backed government of President Mahmoud Abbas.

(Reporting by Kerstin Gehmlich, Editing by Matthew Jones)