UN chief 'not optimistic' about Israeli-Palestinian crisis

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the Security Council on Wednesday that he was "not optimistic" following talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders to urge them to defuse tensions, a diplomat said.

 Ban addressed a closed-door emergency session of the council by video-conference from Amman, the latest stop on his mission to de-escalate the violence.

 The UN chief traveled to the region on Tuesday to urge the Israelis and Palestinians to pull back from a "dangerous escalation" that could lead to a full-scale Palestinian uprising.

 After meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas, Ban delivered a sobering assessment of the prospects, according to a diplomat at the meeting.

 Ban told the council that addressing the situation at the holy sites was key to quelling tensions and that he was very concerned by incitement from both sides.

 Stating bluntly that he had emerged from his meetings "not optimistic," he said there was no time to waste to press for a de-escalation and pull the sides back from the brink.

 At least 47 Palestinians and one Arab Israeli have been killed in the upsurge in violence that began at the start of the month, including alleged attackers. Eight Israelis have died.

 Ban's report from the region comes on the eve of a ministerial-level debate at the Security Council on the way forward in the Middle East amid fears that the violence could spiral out of control.