Ban Urges Arab-Israeli Peace, Williams Regrets Loss of Lives

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Sunday that Israelis and Arabs must show "utmost responsibility" to ward off new hostilities after a day of clashes in which at least 12 people were killed and hundreds wounded, a U.N. spokesman said.

Ban said there had to be a new effort to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks after the fighting along Israel's borders with Lebanon, Syria and Gaza, his spokesman Martin Nesirky said.

"The secretary general is deeply concerned that a significant number of people have been killed or injured. He calls on all concerned to show restraint and refrain from provocations so as to prevent escalation of tensions," Nesirky said.

Ban called for "calm throughout the region and utmost responsibility from all concerned."

He added that there is an "unsustainable status quo in the Arab-Israeli conflict, which is only thrown into sharper relief by the profound political changes now under way in the region."

The U.N. leader reiterated the "urgent need for a just, lasting and comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace, which ensures dignity and security for all, including an end to occupation, an end to conflict, and a just and agreed solution to the plight of Palestinian refugees."

"The secretary general calls for a renewed and sustained effort to resume Israeli-Palestinian negotiations and advance the broader goal of a comprehensive regional peace in the Middle East," Nesirky said.

On the deadly attack by Israel on the demonstrators in southern Lebanon, U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams expressed his regret regarding the loss of lives.

“Events in south Lebanon have developed into one of the most serious incidents on the Blue Line since 2006,” he said in a statement on Sunday.

Williams urged all parties to exercise the utmost restraint and to fully respect Security Council resolution 1701.

The diplomat also expressed concern about developments along the Syrian-Lebanese border and other serious incidents throughout the region.

He noted that the U.N. will continue its efforts to maintain stability along the Blue Line and to work to ensure that legitimate aspirations of civilian populations are met.(AFP-Naharnet)