Israel's President Shimon Peres, right, and United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, second left, sit for breakfast together with aides at a Jerusalem hotel, Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012. Ban Ki-moon is visiting the region in an effort to restart talks between Israel and the Palestinians. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner, POOL)
Israel's President Shimon Peres, right, and United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, second left, sit for breakfast together with aides at a Jerusalem hotel, Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012. Ban Ki-moon is visiting the region in an effort to restart talks between Israel and the Palestinians. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner, POOL)
Israel's President Shimon Peres, left, and United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon are seen reflected in a door's mirror as they speak during a joint press conference at a Jerusalem hotel, Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012. Israel's President Shimon Peres, right, and United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon shake hands following a joint press conference at a Jerusalem hotel, Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012. Ban Ki-moon is visiting the region in an effort to restarts talks between Israel and the Palestinians. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) ? U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon has harshly criticized Israel's continued settlement construction and urged it to submit detailed proposals in low-level border talks with the Palestinians.
Ban met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday to persuade him not to walk away from the talks. Abbas said Israel "didn't present encouraging offers" so far, but that he would resume contacts if it does.
The Palestinians say Israeli settlement building on occupied lands they want for a state is a key obstacle to resuming full-fledged negotiations. With Abbas by his side, Ban affirmed that "all Israeli settlements are contrary to international law, and prejudice" the outcome of a final peace deal.
He urged Abbas not to let the current talks lose momentum.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
JERUSALEM (AP) ? U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon pressed Israel on Wednesday to do more to get flagging Mideast peace efforts back on track, calling for a halt in West Bank settlement construction and urging the Israelis to submit concrete proposals on the key issues of borders and security ties with a future Palestine.
Ban is visiting Israel and the Palestinian areas on a mission to salvage the latest efforts to restart peace talks. A month of low-level discussions between Israel and the Palestinians ended last week without any breakthroughs, and it remains unclear whether they will resume the dialogue.
"We are at a critical moment for Israel and the region," Ban said. "I remain hopeful that the direct, frequent exchanges between the parties with continue."
Formal peace talks have stalled for more than three years, in large part over the settlement issue. The Palestinians say there is no point in negotiating as long as Israel continues to settle its population in the West Bank and east Jerusalem ? captured areas that the Palestinians want for their future state.
Some 500,000 Israelis now live in these areas, and this week Netanyahu's government approved new financial incentives meant to lure more Israelis to the West Bank.
Continued settlement "does not help the ongoing peace process," Ban said. "They should refrain from further settlement for the sake of ongoing peace talks. This can be a way of expressing goodwill gestures."
Netanyahu appeared to rebuff Ban's request, saying the question of settlements "should be part of the final peace talks and final peace agreements."
The Palestinians have demanded a halt in settlement construction before returning to the negotiating table. Last month's low-level discussions, mediated by Jordan, ended without any Israeli commitment to freeze settlement building or progress on other issues, like proposed borders and security arrangements.
The Palestinians have not yet decided whether to continue the talks, but Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas sounded pessimistic Wednesday.
"By refusing to recognize the borders of the independent Palestinian state and to stop building in the Palestinian territories, Israel has blocked all international attempts to revive the peace process and start direct negotiations," Abbas was quoted by the official Palestinian news agency Wafa.
The talks in Jordan were meant to clear the way for the resumption of full-fledged peace talks and a final peace agreement by the end of the year. They are taking place under the auspices of the international "Quartet" of Mideast mediators ? the U.S., European Union, Russia and the United Nations.
The Quartet has asked both sides to promptly submit detailed proposals on borders and security. The Palestinians believe the deadline was on Jan. 26 and have already submitted their proposals. Israel believes the deadline is in April and has only submitted vague principles on border arrangements.
"I also hope that Israel will be forthcoming with its own concrete proposals on territory and security, as called for by the Quartet," Ban said.
Responding to Ban's comments, Netanyahu said he recognizes "there has to be an agreement, probably a painful agreement for us given our passion for these historic lands." But he complained that "the real cause of this conflict" is the Palestinians refusal to recognize Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people.
Israel has also accused the state-run Palestinian media of broadcasting hatred and incitement against Israel and Jews. Asked about the alleged incitement, Ban said: "Hate speeches or provocations, they are not helpful, they are not acceptable."
Later Wednesday, Ban toured the site of the first planned Palestinian city in the West Bank. Construction of the new city, called Rawabi, has been held up by Israeli security concerns about a planned access road, but developers said they hope to complete the project by 2013.
Ban said he visited the project to encourage sustainable development and to express his concern about lack of progress in peace efforts. "To live in a viable, independent and sovereign state of Palestine is a long overdue aspiration of the Palestinian people," Ban told reporters. "That is why I am here."
Later Wednesday, he was set to meet with Abbas.
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Associated Press writer Dalia Nammari contributed reporting from Ramallah, West Bank.
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