Holy Site Fight: Palestinians hold up plastic guns during demonstrations on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. Image by getty images

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon criticized Israel for building in the settlements and condemned “provocations” at holy sites in Jerusalem.

Ban visited met Monday in Ramallah in the West Bank with Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah. The meeting came a day after the Gaza rebuilding conference in Cairo, where Ban announced that he also would visit Gaza on Tuesday “to listen directly to the people of Gaza, survey the situation for myself,” he said in a statement issued by the U.N.

“While rebuilding is important, we must tackle the root causes of instability. We must give renewed attention to the West Bank,” Ban said Monday in Ramallah. “I once again strongly condemn the continued settlement activity by Israel,” he said.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

He called on Israel and the Palestinians to “show courage” and continue engaging in the peace process.

“I am also deeply concerned by repeated provocations at the holy sites in Jerusalem. These only inflame tensions and must stop,” Ban said. Earlier in the day Israeli Police quelled Arab rioters at the Al-Aksa Mosque on the Temple Mount and allowed Jewish visitors on the site for the first time in several days.

Ban was scheduled to meet later on Monday in Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and separately with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount