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20:03 GMT
UNITED NATIONS, Feb 5 (KUNA) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday
said the status quo in the Palestinian-Israeli peace process is "unsustainable
and unacceptable" and urged Hamas to pronounce itself on the key issues.
"The status quo is unsustainable, and unacceptable. Both parties must live
up to their commitment to a negotiated two-State solution consistent with
Security Council resolutions 242 and 338 and resolve all the core issues,
namely territory, security, Jerusalem, refugees, settlements, and water," Ban
told the Palestinian Rights Committee in its first meeting in 2013.
But for real progress to be made, he insisted, "Hamas must make clear where
it stands on the central issues at stake".
He said the international community, including "our Arab partners, is ready
to renew their collective reengagement towards these goals, but it will be
meaningless if the parties themselves do not make serious commitments to
advance the peace process".
"We cannot afford another year without tangible results," Ban added.
He said now that the Israeli elections were held, "we look forward to
engaging the next Israeli government in the common pursuit of peace. This is
no time to be idle".
However, he said "I am dismayed by the dramatic increase in Israeli
settlement activity. I was also deeply disappointed by the announcement of new
construction plans in the 'E1' area, and urged the Government of Israel to
heed international calls to rescind these plans".
"Settlement activity is a major obstacle to the two-state solution and must
cease immediately. I repeat that all settlements in the West Bank, including
East Jerusalem, are illegal under international law and cannot prejudge the
outcome of final status negotiations," he stressed. (end)
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