Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said...

"Unfortunately, work by the Middle East Quartet is taking place against a backdrop of strikes between Palestinians and Israelis," Putin said at a meeting with U.S. State Secretary Hillary Clinton.

"But I am convinced you and your counterpart [Sergei] Lavrov will thoroughly study this problem and seek additional means to enhance efficiency," he said.

The Quartet, which is made up of Russia, the United States, the European Union and the United Nations, met on Friday in Moscow. It issued a statement calling on Israel to freeze its settlement activity and dismount settlements erected since March 2001 as well as abstain from demolishing buildings in East Jerusalem.

Tensions between Palestinians and Israel intensified on the eve of the Quartet meeting. On Thursday, a rocket fired from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip killed a 30-year-old Thai farm worker in southern Israel.

Palestinian security officials said Israeli air strikes hit six sites, including smuggling

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