Barak supports the Quartet’s proposal

The Israeli Defense Minister, Ehud Barak, called on Sunday to adopt the plan proposed by the international Quartet, and return to the negotiating table, despite some reservations.Barak warned in a statement to the Israeli public radio that there are forces in the region working to isolate Israel, which requires them to act decisively. He said on the sidelines of a parliamentary meeting:  " exchanging slogans would not work and we must therefore discuss the core issues on the table, and make real efforts to resolve the conflicts, and if these efforts do not work , then the whole world will see that Israel was ready to move forward in the peace process.” The Quartet issued a statement calling to resume negotiations without addressing to freeze settlement expansion.  President Mahmoud Abbas said he would discuss the proposal before responding to it.