S Korean president visits Chicago

UN chief Ban Ki-moon Friday called Israel's new plan to expand an East Jerusalem settlement "unacceptable," saying it's against both the international law and ongoing peace efforts and therefore must stop. "The secretary general is deeply concerned at continued efforts to advance planning for new Israeli settlements in occupied East Jerusalem," reads a statement from Ban's spokesman. "Recent developments in this regard have been unacceptable, particularly as efforts are ongoing to resume negotiations, and run contrary to the Quartet's call on the parties to refrain from provocations," it said. The Middle East Quartet, which groups the United Nations, the European Union, Russia and the United States, is a diplomatic group in search of a two-state solution which enables a secure Israel to live in peace with an independent Palestine State. On Sept. 27, Israel approved the construction of 1,100 homes in the Jewish settlement of Gilo in the outskirts of Jerusalem. The move came just a few days after Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas officially applied for a full UN membership for the Palestinian people. The Israeli move prompted widespread condemnation by the Palestinians and many countries and regional organizations, including the United States and the European Union. The issue of Jewish settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem has stalled U.S.-brokered peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, and the Quartet is hoping to help both sides reach a final deal by the end of 2012. However, a Quartet meeting ended Sunday in Brussels without any progress in the efforts to bring the two sides back to the negotiation table. Abbas has repeated that Israel's settlement construction must cease, a precondition for returning to negotiations, which collapsed one year ago after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to extend a partial moratorium on settlement construction. "The secretary general reiterates that settlement activity in East Jerusalem and the remainder of the West Bank is contrary to international law and to Israel's obligations under the Roadmap, and must cease," the UN statement said. "He further reiterates that the international community will not recognize unilateral actions on the ground and that the status of Jerusalem can only be resolved through negotiations," it added.