UN chief leaves Israel off UN list of parties that kill or injure children, but urges changes

UNITED NATIONS – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's new list of parties that kill or injure children in armed conflict does not include Israel, as some U.N. officials had recommended.

But the U.N. chief makes clear in the report circulated Monday that the killing and injuring of thousands of Palestinian children in Gaza and the West Bank is unacceptable.

Ban urges Israel "to take concrete and immediate steps, including by reviewing existing policies and practices, to protect children, to prevent the killing and maiming of children, and to respect the special protections afforded to schools and hospitals."

He also urges Israel to ensure accountability for perpetrators of alleged violations and to engage in talks with the U.N. special envoy for children in armed conflict, Leila Zerrougui, "to ensure that there is no recurrence."