Mladenov said the Quartet report concluded that continuing violence, terrorism and incitement; Israeli settlement expansion and a lack of control of Gaza by the Palestinian Authority “severely undermine hope for peace”.
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Madani called on the Middle East Quartet to act as a mediator to halt Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and pave the way for the establishment of a Palestinian state whose capital is East Jerusalem.
Since October, Palestinian street attacks have killed at least 33 Israelis and two visiting Americans.
No group in Gaza claimed responsibility for the attack, which came hours after Israel announced a lockdown on the West Bank city of Hebron and cuts in monthly tax payments made to the Palestinian Authority, following a wave of deadly attacks on Israelis.
“This raises legitimate questions about Israel’s long term intentions which are compounded by the statements of some Israeli ministers that there should never be a Palestinian state”, according to the draft report.
Amid a spike in violence, the Quartet criticized Palestinian leaders for “not consistently and clearly” condemning terrorist attacks and said illicit arms build up and militant activities in Gaza – controlled by Islamist group Hamas – must stop. “Israel rejects any attempt to draw moral equivalence between construction and terrorism”, the statement by Mr. Netanyahu’s office said.
The State Department official was speaking as the Middle East Quartet – the United States, European Union, Russia and United Nations – released its latest report.
Those include references to both sides, and specifically to the Palestinians and Israelis in relation to violence, incitement to violence, Israeli settlement construction and related policies, Palestinian unity and institution building.
It says Israel has “effectively” stopped the transfer of powers to Palestinian civilian authorities in part of the West Bank designated as Area C under interim peace accords.
Mladenov expressed hope that both sides “will find the strength to go beyond the criticism” in the report, which he said is expected to be released Friday morning, and engage with the Quartet to move the peace process forward.
The initial response from the Palestinians showed no interest in engaging.
Moreover, the report called on each side to independently demonstrate, through policies and actions, a genuine commitment to the two-state solution.
Israel has said it is willing to make territorial concessions in a final peace agreement while holding on to the most populated settlement blocs close to its boundary with the West Bank.
Since the beginning of the Oslo process in 1993, the population of settlements has more than doubled, reaching a total of at least 570,000.
“Palestinian frustration can not be wished away”, he said, adding that “neither will the violence and terror, fuelled by resentment, bring about a Palestinian state”.
There has been a deep rift between the two main Palestinian factions since 2007, when Hamas, which won elections the previous year, ousted forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas in Gaza and set up a rival government there.
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French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said the report “reinforces” plans for a Paris peace conference later this year.
