The so-called Middle East Quartet - comprised of the US, European Union, UN and Russia - met in London on Friday to discuss efforts to advance the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, and laid blame for the current standstill on Israel alone.

Briefly addressing the ongoing violence in and around the Gaza Strip, the Quartet applied a liberal does of moral equivalency to the situation and called on both side to halt their attacks.

Moving on to what it sees as far more serious matters, the Quartet statement, read by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-mooon, insisted that Israel stop building homes for Jews in Judea and Samaria.

The statement suggested that routine housing construction in several large Jewish towns in the area, as well as the establishment of several tiny Jewish neighborhoods on previously barren hilltops threatened to destroy all prospects of peace.