U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday his government sent a "deeply negative signal" by taking steps that undermined renewed Middle East peace talks. Hillary Clinton telephoned Netanyahu and expressed frustration over Israel's announcement on Tuesday of new settlement construction, a move that deeply embarrassed visiting U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and imperiled U.S. plans to launch indirect negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, according to a report of Reuters. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said Hillary Clinton told Netanyahu the announcement was a "deeply negative signal about Israel's approach to the bilateral relationship ... and had undermined trust and confidence in the peace process." "The Secretary of State said she could not understand how this happened, particularly in light of the United States' strong commitment to Israel's security," Crowley said. "She made clear that the Israeli government needed to demonstrate not just through words but through specific actions that they are committed to this relationship and to the peace process," he said. The "quartet" of Middle East peace mediators -- the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia -- issued its own condemnation on Friday of the settlement plan and said it would assess the situation at a previously scheduled meeting in Moscow next week. "The Quartet has agreed to closely monitor developments in Jerusalem (Al-Quds) and to keep under consideration additional steps that may be required to address the situation on the ground," the group said in a statement, without providing further details. Hillary Clinton, speaking in New York during talks with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, said the Moscow meeting would be an opportunity "to take stock of the progress that has been made in moving toward relaunching negotiations."
