U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon calls on Israel to stop West Bank construction UNITED NATIONS, June 14 (UPI) -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon renewed his call Friday for Israel to freeze its settlement activity in the West Bank, calling it "unhelpful." In a statement from his spokesperson, Ban said he is "deeply concerned by the continuing expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, in violation of international law." About 1,000 housing units are also planned for East Jerusalem, the statement said. Israel's actions are "unhelpful decisions that undermine progress toward the two-state solution. They constitute a deeply worrisome trend at a moment of ongoing efforts to relaunch peace negotiations," Ban's statement said.