Olmert, Ban meet

Ehud Olmert met with the United Nations secretary-general Monday in Jerusalem. The Israeli prime minister met with Ban Ki-moon during his Mideast tour. In remarks after, Ban suggested that Israel and the international community give the newly formed Palestinian Authority unity government “some political space” to
meet international demands that it renounce terrorism and recognize Israel. Ban, who refused meetings with Hamas officials, added that both sides must take steps toward peace. “I would like to see this new government act
against the firing of rockets from Gaza,” he said of the Hamas-Fatah coalition. “In the same spirit, Israel’s actions are also very important,” he
added, citing settlements, outposts and checkpoints in the
West Bank.
Ban visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in his first official visit to the country, and was scheduled to meet with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni before continuing his Mideast tour to Amman and Riyadh for an Arab League summit.