UN chief warns of 'abyss' as violence rages on

UN chief Ban Ki-moon yesterday warned Israelis and Palestinians they were at a "dangerous abyss" and must act quickly to calm nearly three weeks of unrest before it spirals further out of control.

The stark comments came as the UN secretary general made an unannounced visit to Jerusalem to try to ease tensions that have led to mounting international concern.

Violent protests and a wave of Palestinian gun, knife and car-ramming attacks against Israelis have raised fears of a full-scale Palestinian uprising.

Even as Ban visited, another stabbing and a car attack occurred in the occupied West Bank, wounding three Israelis. Both alleged attackers were shot dead.

Fresh clashes also erupted along the Gaza Strip border, leaving one Palestinian dead from Israeli fire and five others wounded.

"My visit reflects the sense of global alarm at the dangerous escalation in violence between Israelis and Palestinians," Ban told journalists after meeting Israeli President  Rivlin.

He added that "it is not too late to avoid a broader crisis" and urged renewed peace efforts, with negotiations at a standstill for more than a year.

"We must, for the future of our children, come back from this dangerous abyss, safeguard the two-state solution, and lead people back to the road toward peace."

Ban is due to meet Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu later yesterday and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas today.

In a sign of growing international worry, US Secretary of State John Kerry will also meet Netanyahu in Germany this week and Abbas later at an unspecified location in the Middle East.

More than 40 Palestinians have been killed in the upsurge in violence that began at the start of the month, including alleged attackers. Eight Israelis have died in attacks.