UN chief chides Israelis

JERUSALEM - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Sunday urged Israel to end a three year-long blockade of the Hamas-run Gaza Strip and called on Palestinians to heal their political rifts.

Ban's visit to the blockaded territory follows a trip made by the European Union's foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, last week.

"The Palestinian people are living under very difficult circumstances where normal lives are restricted by closures security checks and road blocks," Ban said.