UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a dire warning regarding the future of the two-State solution to the Palestinian issue, that it was "at a point of no return."
Speaking before the UN Security Council on the Middle East issue, Guterres mentioned that the Middle East is faced with grave challenges and opportunities and that peace would hinge on the establishment of a two-state solution in which Israel and Palestine existed in harmony and security with Jerusalem as the capital of both states.
Still, Guterres was seriously dismayed that the two-State solution vow is today in increasing jeopardy, at risk of vanishing for good. He noted that political commitment to this decades-long vision has lessened, and conditions have markedly worsened since the October 7, 2023, Hamas terror attacks. The Gaza devastation and killing, Israeli military incursions into the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and expanding settler violence are all factors along this risky route.
He stressed that the international community cannot afford to lose the two-State solution, and leaders must make a clear decision: remain silent, accept, or act courageously. Guterres also expressed alarm regarding the politicization of humanitarian aid as a tool of military coercion, calling for an uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid, particularly through the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
The UN secretary general reiterated the demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and a lasting ceasefire, and he appealed to member states to use their influence to ensure international law prevails and impunity is not the victor. He emphasized Israel's obligation as an occupying power to open the way for food, medical supplies, and relief services to reach the Palestinian people.
Guterres called for irreversible action by the international community to prevent ongoing occupation and violence, urging member states to take concrete action toward making a viable two-State solution a reality. He referred to the June High-Level Conference co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia as a crucial juncture to revitalize international backing for the two-State solution and the Palestinian Authority.
Lastly, Guterres called for political will and political courage to achieve the two-State solution is not lost, emphasizing its importance to Palestinians and Israelis, as well as the broader Middle East, and humanity as a whole.
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