MOSCOW, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday called on Israel and Palestine to exercise self-restraint and not to heighten the political tensions in the Middle East.

"We are extremely concerned about the escalation of the situation in the Palestinian territories, including Jerusalem," Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko was quoted as saying by the RIA Novosti news agency.

"We believe both parties should exercise self-restraint and not undertake actions that might further aggravate the conflict," he said.

Nesterenko said Russia opposed unilateral decisions that could prejudice the results of the peace talks.

He said the meeting of the Middle East quartet -- Russia, the U.S., the European Union and the United Nations -- in Moscow on Friday should allow a more objective discussion of the issues affecting progress towards a settlement in the region.

Israeli government approved last week the construction of 1,600 new settler homes in disputed east Jerusalem.

The announcement, which came after the Israeli and Palestinian sides agreed to hold indirect talks after a 15-month break, sparked swift condemnation from a number of countries, including Russia.