Kofi Annan was in the West Bank Wednesday for meetings with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. At a joint news conference, Annan said ending Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land is the key to peace in the Middle East.

• UN Secretary General Kofi Annan: “The suffering of the Palestinian people must not be forgotten as we strive to bring peace to Lebanon. President Abbas and I fully agree that an end to the occupation and creation of the Palestinian state, living side by side with Israel is the key to solving the problems of this troubled region.”