Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is urging Palestinian and Israeli leaders to halt "unilateral initiatives" that fuel mistrust and to make the tough compromises needed to achieve a two-state solution.
Ban challenged both sides to display "courage and vision" and rise to the occasion and negotiate a comprehensive peace agreement.
The secretary-general, who recently visited Gaza, criticized the extent of the destruction unleashed by Israel saying it "has left deep questions about proportionality and the need for accountability."