NEW YORK (JTA) — Ban Ki-moon called for stepped-up Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and Israel to change its policy on settlements.
The secretary-general of the United Nations made his remarks Monday at a meeting of the Security Council.
During the meetings, initiated by Russia, Ban reiterated the U.N.’s desire for a two-state solution and said that Israel must stop building settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, according to the French news agency AFP.
"The Palestinians continue to see unacceptable acts in East Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank … which are closely related to settlements," Ban said at the opening of a debate. "The time has come for Israel to fundamentally change its policy in this area as it has often promised but not yet done."
Israel shunned the meetings because of Ban’s desire to immediately implement a two-state solution.
