U.N. leader urges calm amid escalating Palestinian-Israeli violence

Jane Onyanga-Omara | USA TODAY

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon called for calm during a surprise visit to Jerusalem on Tuesday ahead of meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders in the latest attempt to stem escalating violence throughout the region.

“These are difficult times for Israelis and Palestinians. I am here in the hope that we can work together to end the violence, ease the tensions and begin to restore a long term political horizon of peace,” Ban said at a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to the Associated Press.

“I deplore the random attacks against civilians, such terror attacks make every place unsafe and every person regardless to gender or age a potential victim,” Ban said.

Ban was also scheduled to meet with Palestinian President Abbas, whom Netanyahu blamed Tuesday for "fanning the flames" of the recent violence.

Over the past month, 10 Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks, most of them stabbings, and 44 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire, including 21 described by Israel as attackers. The rest died in clashes with Israeli troops. An Eritrean migrant died Sunday after being mistakenly shot by an Israeli security guard and then beaten by a mob that mistook him for a Palestinian attacker.

Ban's arrival came just hours after Israel arrested a senior Hamas official in the West Bank, accusing him of inciting violence by encouraging attacks against Israelis.

The Israeli military says it detained Hassan Yousef near Ramallah and accused him of "actively instigating and inciting terrorism," the AP reported. It marks the most high-profile arrest in a month of unrest in the region.

Military spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner said: "Hamas' leaders cannot expect to propagate violence and terror from the comfort of their living rooms and pulpits of their mosques," according to the AP.

Yousef is a co-founder of Hamas, which the United States and Israel have designated a terrorist group. His son, Mosab Hassan Yousef, spied for Israel between 1997 and 2007 and abandoned Islam for Christianity. Mosab emigrated to America in 2007 and claimed political asylum, later co-writing the book Son of Hamas.

Ban's visit came amid more rounds of violence throughout the region Tuesday, according to the AP. A Palestinian was killed in the evening during a clash with Israeli troops along the border with the Gaza Strip, Israel's military said, adding a number of Palestinians had been preparing to attack troops. Earlier, a Palestinian rammed his car into a group of Israelis at a bus stop in the West Bank, wounding a solider and civilian. The attacker was shot and killed, the Israeli military said.

That attack came shortly after the Israeli military said a Palestinian man was shot and taken to hospital after stabbing a military officer during a “violent riot” in the West Bank. Officials said the officer was lightly injured. In a separate incident, an Israeli man was killed after being run over during a clash with Palestinians, the Israeli military confirmed. The man had been hit by a passing truck when he tried to leave his car that was being hit by Palestinian demonstrators throwing stones.

In a statement Monday, Ban urged leaders on both sides to pursue a two-state solution. “Let us get truly serious about reaching the only solution capable of durably stanching the bloodshed, the hatred and the fear of even greater conflict,” he said.

Ban is also expected to meet with Israeli and Palestinian victims on his visit, a statement by his spokesperson said.

Unrest in the region began a month ago over concerns Israel was trying to expand the Jewish presence at Jerusalem's most sensitive holy site, home to a mosque revered by Muslims and two temples revered by Jews.

Palestinians began throwing stones and firebombs at Israeli forces as well as barricading themselves inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound — believed by Muslims to be the spot where the prophet Mohammed ascended to heaven. Known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary, the site also houses the Dome of the Rock. Jews call the site the Temple Mount and it's the holiest site in Judaism. Israel has denied rumors it has plans to change the status quo at the compound.