Palestinians throw shoes, stones at U.N. convoy, Ban Ki-moon thanks them for the "warm welcome", gets laughed at

A shoe thrown by Palestinian protestors flies towards a vehicle in the convoy of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as it arrives at the Erez checkpoint in the northern Gaza Strip on February 2, 2012. Protesters threw shoes, sand and small stones at his convoy, which was briefly held up before continuing on to Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. (Reuters Pictures)

GAZA (Reuters) - Dozens of Palestinians threw shoes, sticks and stones at U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's convoy as it crossed into the Gaza Strip Thursday, protesting against what they saw as a slight against Palestinians jailed in Israel.

No one was injured during the hostile welcome and the vehicles, which crossed into the Hamas-ruled territory from southern Israel, pushed through the crowd and sped away.

Ban is visiting the region to try to restart long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

"I thank the people of Gaza for the warm welcome," he told a news conference, provoking laughter among local journalists. "I met many people who were waiting for me at the entrance."

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