Netanyahu, UN’s Ban Discuss ‘Peace’, Ghajar Withdrawal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon held talks late Monday on the stalled Middle East peace talks and the planned Israeli withdrawal from an occupied site on the Lebanese border. The two issued a readout of their meeting at UN headquarters in New York, according to which the "secretary general and Prime Minister Netanyahu discussed the ongoing efforts to move the Middle East peace process forward." "The secretary general emphasized that it was vital to break the current diplomatic stalemate, resume negotiations and produce results," the statement said. Ban said he expressed concern at the resumption of the Israeli settlement activities and recent announcements of further settlement construction in occupied East Jerusalem. The two leaders also discussed the "current proposals on the issue of Ghajar," a reference to Israel's plan to end its occupation of the village. Haaretz had reported that Netanyahu planned to announce a withdrawal from Ghajar and the return of control of the village to Lebanon. The planned withdrawal would comply with UN Security Council resolution 1701. The two leaders also reportedly "reviewed the regional situation, including Iran," in addition to Ban's urging that Israel "ease the movement of people and goods to and from Gaza." Netanyahu also referred to a recent ruling by the UN's cultural agency, according to which West Bank heritage sites, such as Bilal Mosque (Jewish for Rachel's Tomb), would be considered Palestinian. Speaking during his meeting with the UN chief, the PM said that the "the profound link between the Jewish people and the Tomb of the Patriarchs and Rachel's Tomb had existed for close to 4,000 years." "Over a billion people know of this bond and it is documented in the Bible," Netanyahu said, adding that "historical facts should not be distorted in the name of politics. That would only injure the UN's stature and the way serious people around the world regard it."