UN human rights chief Navi Pillay started on Sunday a visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories, including Gaza, where she will meet leaders from both sides.

An orderly transition in Egypt is essential to the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians, UN chief Ban Ki-moon said Sunday, a day after attending a Middle East Quartet meeting.

France will vote for a UN Security Council resolution on Israeli settlements drafted by Arab states if it is moderate and does not halt a resumption of peace talks, its foreign minister said Thursday.

Whether or not U.S. will support the resolution remains unclear; U.S. previously said resolution wont bring two sides closer to peace deal.

Israel will boycott a meeting at the United Nations to mark the 10th anniversary of the Durban conference on racism.

Israel, U.S. walked out of the 2001 World Conference Against Racism in Durban over a draft resolution singling out Israel for criticism.

Israel's ambassador to the UN calls on international community to send a 'clear and resolute' message that rocket attacks are unacceptable; teenage girl was wounded by Qassam on Tuesday in Ashkelon area.

Israeli officials fear that Washington will not rush to exercise its veto power against such a resolution, which calls for international pressure for construction freeze.

The United States should shun events next year at the United Nations commemorating the 2001 Durban Declaration on racism, 18 US senators said Friday, citing worries over anti-Semitic and anti-US rhetoric.

The head of a United Nations committee charged with implementing the Goldstone Report reportedly has resigned.