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Israel must stop its expansion in occupied territory – UN Sec. Gen.
Published: 20 March, 2010, 17:34
Edited: 27 March, 2010, 11:20
TAGS: Conflict, Meeting, UN, Middle East
Ban Ki-moon has visited Palestine for talks with PM Salam Fayyad, reports news agency Itar-Tass with reference to TV channel Al Jazeera. The trip comes shortly after a Mideast Quartet session in Moscow.
In Palestine, the UN Secretary General attended an observation point near the Palestinian city of Ramallah to see a West Bank settlement which currently houses up to 11,000 Israelis.
Ban Ki-moon described the building of new Israeli homes as illegal and said that Israel should improve the situation in Palestine to make an independent Palestine state a reality.
The message comes shortly after international mediators condemned Israeli expansion in the occupied Palestine territories at the Moscow Quartet meeting.
Ban Ki-moon also announced that Israel and the Palestinian National Administration have agreed to start non-direct talks in the future.
At a joint press-conference, Palestine PM Salam Fayyad said that the world community can play a very important role in the formation of an independent Palestinian state. In this respect, he stressed the importance of Mr. Ban’s visit to the area.
The next planned leg of Ban Ki-moon’s Middle East tour is Israel, where he is to hold talks with President Shimon Peres. Then he is expected to visit the Gaza Strip, and will be among the first international visitors to be admitted into Gaza since last year's war.
The international diplomatic efforts come as tensions between the Palestinians and the Israeli military remain high.
New waves of clashes have hit the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem after Israel announced last week its controversial plan to build 1,600 more homes in East Jerusalem.
At least 12 people were injured after Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza's airport and nearby border tunnels late on Friday, reports news agency Itar-Tass.
The strike comes in response to recent rocket fire from Palestinian territory.
In addition to the settlement expansion, Israel has come under sharp criticism from the international community as of late for keeping Gaza under a strict blockade.
Mr. Ban expressed his concerns about the humanitarian situation in Gaza and said he hopes Israel will allow UN humanitarian aid to enter the region.
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Ban Ki Moon says "Israel must stop its expansion in occupied territory", I strongly disagree with that statement, it's merely lip service. Closer to the truth is: "Israel must be stopped in it's expansion into occupied territiory, and we (the international community) must stop telling them to stop settlement activity, and ACT, and stop this theft of Palestinian land"
This is by far the best definition of "Double-Standard's" by the United Nation's and the United States why does these two entities keep wielding the double-edged sword I will never know. I seems both the UN and US are noting but a "Double Act" with each other. In Isreal they have annexed too much land from Palestinians for which brought forth all of their conflicts and wars that they have over the highly fought over territory of former Palestine. This is the major reason why Palestinians feel both robbed and been plundered of their territory. What also makes me laugh is when the United Nation's calls upon Russia and then the "Double Act" of UN and US seems to make these two entities appear small yet they have the biggest influence in the world which includes Isreal and the West Bank. As far as I'm concerned I will only support Russia's policy on Isreal due to the fact that Russia has more mediator and methodical stances on this most difficult state of circumstances. Which ALL of the west's efforts have all failed in every single account so it is best for the world to allow Russia to do it's magic to show the world that Russia is not meant to be feared no more but shown to have the world's best common sense surrounding Isreal. I hope Isreal will benefit from Russian talk's because only Russia can save the day and bring peace in the middle east once and for all. Finally UK's Tony Blair,US's Hilary Clinton and UN's Ban Ki Moon will most certainly be lost without Russia's Sergei Lavrov so it's best to be allies than enemies when you are trying to help aid territories in distress (the world needs to band together not fight each other) this is what Russia is all about world so please give Russia a chance on this. At least you'll hear a different point of view for once.
For 60 plus years world watching war going on in Israel-Palestine..For all my life time Im watching this as main(first and last one) news from this part of world..Nothing new-more grab land is planed(it will never stop I suspect) and more innorcent victims will fall...WW2 was finish in 5 years so people somehow find new hope to live and start from scrach-this conflict( looks to me )will never end just becouse of one reason-Israel got no wish to make a true peace and will not stop...5,5 millions Palestine refuges are not enough till now-there is more to come....Russian voice on this is a moral one and with real weight but others got not say(Israel is correct on this one) becouse they done in the past same thing(and worse ) then Israel today ....Jewish nation suffer at least 15 genocides(holocausts) in hands of West Europeans in last 2000 years(much worse than last Nazi one) but this is not reason to do the same as Palestinians-they are innorcent victims as you been to....Recognize Palestine in 1967 borders and make peace... Thanke you!