Too many new issues — or are they problems? — arose simultaneously in the last few days pertaining to the Israeli-Palestinian question.

To begin with, during the Munich Security Conference, a meeting was held by the Quartet (the European Union, United Nations, United States and Russia) to discuss developments in the Israeli-Palestinian issue and especially the “framework” that is being designed by US Secretary of State John Kerry.

It is time to ask what has been the role of the Quartet and why UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon should be a part of it. The secretary-general is the ultimate custodian of all UN resolutions relevant to the Palestinian right of self-determination spelled out in hundreds of resolutions in the UN General Assembly and some in the Security Council, as well as in the specialized agencies of the UN system. In my opinion, being in the Quartet is a constraining element of his authority on this issue. His role on this important and vital issue cannot be confined to the Quartet. His mandate is far wider and perceived as more objective and his assessments and interpretation of these resolutions should be more binding.

In this respect, the role of Tony Blair as the special envoy of the Quartet is at best nebulous and appears to be an adjunct to the United States’ exclusive management of the “negotiations” taking place. This is becoming even more evident by the unilateral and intense engagement of Kerry and the perceived limited and almost invisible role of the so-called Quartet.