UNITED NATIONS - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday strongly condemned an attack on a synagogue in Jerusalem that left four dead and lamented a worsening of the situation on the ground.
"Beyond today's reprehensible incident, clashes between Palestinian youths and Israeli security forces continue on a near daily basis in many parts of East Jerusalem and the West Bank," said Ban in a statement.
"The steadily worsening situation on the ground only reinforces the imperative for leaders on both sides to make the difficult decisions that will promote stability and ensure long-term security for both Israelis and Palestinians," he said.
Ban called on Israeli and Palestinian leaders to refrain from using provocative rhetoric that could stoke tensions and lead to violence.