WEST BANK: UN Secretary General tours West Bank, Israeli cabinet supports UN sanctions on Iran

United Nations (U.N.) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged Israel on Sunday (March 25) to embrace Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as a peace partner, a call in contrast with new Israeli criticism of the moderate leader. "My message to Israel and to the world from here in Ramallah is that I'm convinced that President Abbas is ready," he said on his first visit to the region as UN chief, a trip coinciding with a tour by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Ban also welcomed the newly formed Palestinian unity government and expressed hopes that it will abide by international demands. The Quartet -- the United States, the European Union (EU), the United Nations and Russia -- have urged the new administration to recognise Israel, renounce violence and accept existing interim Israeli-Palestinian peace accords. Abbas also emphasised the support from the international community. Earlier on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert accused Abbas of reneging on what he said was a promise by the Fatah leader to secure, before forming a coalition with Hamas earlier this month, the release of an Israeli soldier held by Gaza militants. Abbas said in an interview on Thursday (March 22) a framework had been agreed with Israel that could secure Corporal Gilad Shalit's release. He has been held since June and Palestinians want Israel to release hundreds of their jailed brethren in exchange. The new partnership between the secular Fatah movement and Hamas Islamists, and its failure to meet policy demands by a "Quartet" of Middle East mediators, have led Olmert to declare he would limit future talks with Abbas to humanitarian issues. During his joint news conference with Abbas, Ban also said the Palestinian coalition's immediate priorities should be stabilising the situation in Gaza, where internal violence has flared over the past days, releasing Shalit and consolidating a ceasefire in the territory with Israel.

ITN Source | March 25, 2007

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