UN chief urges Israel to freeze settlement

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Friday, 03 February 2012

Author / Source : AFP

Jerusalem, Feb 2: UN chief Ban Ki-moon called on Israel on Wednesday to halt settlement activity and offer the Palestinians a “goodwill gesture” as the top diplomat sought to kick-start stalled peace talks. But he appeared to be rebuffed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said he considered the issue of settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem something to be discussed during negotiations, not before.
“I have told clearly to President (Shimon) Peres this morning and this afternoon to the prime minister that they should refrain from further settlement,” Ban told a news conference after talks with Netanyahu.
“This can be one of the ways of expressing a goodwill gesture,” he said.
But Netanyahu appeared to reject taking such a measure.
“I think the question of settlements should be part of the final peace talks. It can’t be a precondition,” he said.
His spokesman Mark Regev said later Netanyahu spoke to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by phone, saying “Israel is interested in pursuing continued discussions with the Palestinians, and intends to preserve its security interests.”
Ban is visiting Israel and the Palestinian territories for a series of meetings intended to convince both sides to continue so-called exploratory talks they started last month in Amman.
In the West Bank city of Ramallah, where he met Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, the UN chief warned “these negotiations should not lose momentum.”
The Palestinians have accused Israel of failing to present proposals on borders and security called for by the Quartet, and say they cannot continue talks unless Israel freezes settlements and agrees to parameters for discussions.
Another report adds: Protesters threw shoes, sand and small stones at the convoy of UN chief Ban Ki-moon as he entered the Gaza Strip for a visit on Thursday.
An AFP correspondent on the Gaza side of the Erez crossing from Israel said a crowd of around 50 people, many of them relatives of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, threw objects at Ban’s car as he drove past them.
The demonstrators were protesting what they called Ban’s refusal to meet with them to discuss the situation of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
Some held signs in English reading “Ban Ki-moon, enough bias for Israel.”
Ban’s convoy, briefly held up by the demonstrators, was able to continue past the protest and onwards to Khan Yunis, where the UN chief is scheduled to visit a school and a Japanese-funding housing project.
The top diplomat is visiting Gaza as part of a trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories intended to help kickstart stalled negotiations.     AFP