UN Chief Calls on Israel to Freeze Settlement-Building

Progress toward peace between Israel and the Palestinians requires that Israel freeze its settlement-building in the West Bank, the U.N. secretary-general said Tuesday, calling the settlement activities “an affront to the Palestinian people and to the international community.”

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon sepaks during a Holocaust memorial ceremony on the occasion of the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust at the United Nations headquarters in New York City on Jan. 27, 2016. Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images

UNITED NATIONS—Progress toward peace between Israel and the Palestinians requires that Israel freeze its settlement-building in the West Bank, the U.N. secretary-general said Tuesday, calling the settlement activities “an affront to the Palestinian people and to the international community.”

Addressing the U.N. Security Council’s periodic Middle East debate, Ban Ki-moon also urged both sides to act now “to prevent the two-state solution from slipping away forever.” He condemned rocket fire from militant groups in Gaza into Israel but focused his strongest comments on Israel’s settlement-building.

“As oppressed peoples have demonstrated throughout the ages, it is human nature to react to occupation,” the U.N. chief said.

As oppressed peoples have demonstrated throughout the ages, it is human nature to react to occupation.

— Ban Ki-moon, secretary-general, United Nations