Ban Deplores 'Dangerous Impasse' in Mideast Peace Talks

U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon warned Tuesday that the Middle East peace process was at a "dangerous impasse," and urged Israel to allow Palestinians under administrative detention to contest their imprisonment.

"The Middle East peace process is at a dangerous impasse," he said in a message to a two-day meeting on the legal and political implications of Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli prisons.

Direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians have been frozen since September 2010 due to a thorny dispute over Jewish settlement building.

Israel says it wants talks without preconditions, but the Palestinians have sought an Israeli settlement freeze and clear parameters for discussions before resuming direct negotiations.

Ban said the target date to secure a peace agreement remains "the end of this year", but amid the current stalemate it was necessary to deal with issues such as the plight of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

Over 300 prisoners are being held under administrative detention orders, which allows a court to order an individual to be detained for renewable periods of up to six months at a time, said Ban.

"The application of administrative detention should only occur under clear parameters and in exceptional circumstances, for as short a period as possible and without prejudice to the rights guaranteed to prisoners," said Ban.

"Those detained must be allowed to challenge their detention and, in the absence of formal charges, should be released without delay," he said.

Overall, the number of imprisoned Palestinians stood at 4,400, including about 200 minors, said Ban.