U.N.'s Ban urges Israel to change settlement policy

By Patrick Worsnip

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on Israel on Monday to "fundamentally change its policies" on settlements and prove its commitment to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Addressing a ministerial-level Security Council debate on the Middle East, Ban also demanded an end to Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel and said the Palestinian Authority must develop an effective security structure and state institutions.

But Ban's remarks appeared to focus more on Israel's obligations as he urged the parties and the international community to "kick-start" a fresh attempt to resume stalled Middle East peace negotiations and achieve a settlement.

At the meeting called by Russia, current president of the Security Council, but boycotted by Israel, speaker after speaker affirmed support for a two-state solution in which a new Palestinian state would exist alongside Israel.

New Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for talks with the Palestinians but has not specifically supported a Palestinian state. Netanyahu is to meet U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington on May 18.

Ban referred to a "deep crisis of confidence" among people in the region and a "vortex of hopelessness" in Gaza caused by Palestinian divisions and tensions between Israel and the Hamas militant movement, which controls the territory.

He said Palestinians "continue to see unacceptable unilateral actions" by Israel in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. These included house demolitions, intensified Jewish settlement activity, settler violence and oppressive movement restrictions, all linked to settlements, he said.

"The time has come for Israel to fundamentally change its policies in this regard as it has repeatedly promised to do, but not yet done," Ban said.