国际英语新闻：Ban says Jewish settlements "illegal" as Mideast violence flares

RAMALLAH, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Visiting UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Saturday that settlement activities "in all the Palestinian territories are illegal," while violent clashes between the Palestinians and the Israelis flared and killed one Palestinian in the West Bank.

"The world has condemned Israel's expansion plans in East Jerusalem," Ban told reporters in the West Bank city of Ramallah, adding "let us be clear: all settlement activity is illegal anywhere in occupied Palestinian territory, and this must stop."

Ban arrived in Ramallah on Wednesday, accompanied by Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, who showed him some sites around the city that Israel intends to confiscate. Before they hold their official meeting, Fayyad showed Ban maps of the confiscated lands.

Ban's visit is the second of its kind to the Palestinian territories since last winter's 22-day Israeli military offensive on the Gaza Strip. Ban's visit on Saturday comes a day after he joined a meeting of the international Quartet, which groups Russia, the United States, the European Union and the United Nations, on the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.

Upon arrival, Ban inspected the concrete barrier Israel is building in the occupied West Bank to secure its settlements. Ban said the Jewish settlements complicate the situation, urging Israel to take more steps to ease the life of the Palestinians.