UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged Israel to halt settlement construction in the West Bank and "to make gestures of goodwill toward the Palestinians."
During a visit to Israel on Wednesday aimed at trying to restart peace talks, he also said he is "well aware of the many security challenges Israel sees around it."
"We are at a critical moment for Israel and the region. I remain hopeful that the direct, frequent exchanges between the parties with continue," he said, in a reference to last month’s Israeli-Palestinian "exploratory talks" in Jordan.
"Israel’s cooperation in creating a positive dynamic is vital," Ban told reporters after a meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres.
At the weekly cabinet meeting last Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the chances of a resumption of talks were "not particularly good."
Netanyahu said that the question of settlements was for the end of negotiations and "cannot be a precondition" for them.
The UN Secretary General also mentioned Iran in his statements to the press.
"I have been urging the Iranian authorities to prove that their nuclear program is genuinely for peaceful purposes. I think they have not yet convinced the international community," he said.
"I don’t know any responsible leader in the world today that has not declared that they are against Iran having a nuclear bomb. It is a great danger to everybody," Peres said Peres. He added, "If the dangers of Iran will disappear, it will facilitate very much the peace process all over the places."
"The peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians are encountering natural differences. It’s not the end of it. It may take time. We shall have to struggle," Peres said.
Ban was also scheduled to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.