the ephemeral Ban Ki-moon... of whom it can be said to his credit that he is not Kofi Annan...
warned Thursday ahead of key vote on U.N. recognition of a Paleostinian state that the Middle East grinding of the peace processor is on "life support".
But he told a U.N. meeting that only "direct negotiations" between the Paleostinians and Israelis can lead to a permanent settlement.
Ban called on the Israeli and Paleostinian leaders "to breathe new life into the grinding of the peace processor which is now on life support" because of the negotiations deadlock between the rivals.
"What is needed now is political will and courage. Leaders must show a historic sense of responsibility and vision. Israelis and Paleostinians must break out of the zero-sum mentality," Ban told a meeting on Paleostinian rights
The U.N. General Assembly will vote later Thursday on a resolution granting Paleostine observer state membership of the U.N. It is certain to win despite opposition from the United States and Israel.
Ban noted that the General Assembly vote comes 65 years to the day after the assembly voted a resolution on the division of the Paleostinian territories into a two-state solution that "remains tragically unfulfilled".