UN Secretary-General: No alternative to the two-state solution to achieve peace and security for Palestinians and the region
Guterres affirmed that there is no alternative to the two-state solution and warned of the specter of ethnic cleansing at the General Assembly meeting.
Translated by Qiyas from كونا — Original source
New York, September 22 (KUNA) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres affirmed on Tuesday evening that there is no alternative to the two-state solution to achieve lasting peace and security for the Palestinians and the entire region, warning that the pressures and coercion faced by Palestinian families “evoke the specter of ethnic cleansing.” He made these remarks during a high-level meeting held on the sidelines of the general debate of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, where he stressed that there is “only one reliable path” to achieving lasting peace and security for both sides of the conflict, cautioning that the foundations for an independent, democratic, contiguous, viable, and sovereign Palestinian state “are being systematically undermined.”
He noted that demolitions, evictions, displacements, land confiscations, and violations of the status quo in holy places are creating an environment in which pressures and coercion are intensifying, forcing Palestinian families to leave their homes and lands and “evoking the specter of ethnic cleansing.” Guterres further affirmed that proceeding with the E1 settlement plan would deal a “fatal blow” to the prospects of a contiguous and viable Palestinian state, calling for the full implementation of the peace plan for Gaza.
He emphasized that promises of a better future for families surrounded by destruction and despair would remain “empty” unless accompanied by tangible changes on the ground, highlighting the need for continued political, economic, and regional integration between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, under a single legitimate and sovereign Palestinian government.
He clarified that support for the two-state solution must be reflected in policies, decisions, and actions aimed at halting settlement expansion, supporting Palestinian institutions, and advancing a credible political process aimed at ending the occupation and realizing the Palestinian right to self-determination. He stated that the goal is the existence of two independent, democratic, sovereign states living side by side in peace and security within safe and recognized borders based on the 1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states, adding, “There is no alternative to this, and time is running out.” (End) A.S.T./T.A.B.
