The Middle East Quartet, made up of representatives from the US, EU, UN and Russia, has once again called on Israeli and Palestinian leaders to work towards resuming negotiations.

The group hoped to help ensure a settlement by the end of this year, but it has not even managed to help re-ignite direct talks between the two sides after they stalled two years ago.

Now, after a decade of the Quartet's existence, there are growing voices suggesting the grouping may have outlived its usefulness.

Al Jazeera's Alan Fisher reports from Washington.