UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Wednesday warned that relentless Israeli settlement expansion, de facto annexation, and ongoing violence are pushing the two-State solution to the brink. He called for an immediate end to the illegal occupation and urgent international action.
Addressing the Security Council in New York on 23 September on the escalating situation in the Middle East, including the question of Palestine, the Secretary-General said it is time to “seize two-State momentum amid darkest chapters of Israel-Palestine conflict.”
“We are confronting one of the darkest chapters of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Nearly two years after the horrific Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023 and the devastating Israeli military response, violence has deepened across the Occupied Palestinian Territory, posing grave threats to regional and global peace and security.”
He called upon countries to seize “this momentum” and stressed that the so-called ‘day after’ in Gaza must be anchored in international law, “reject any form of ethnic cleansing, and have a clear political horizon toward a viable two-State solution.”
Reiterating to the General Assembly, he said, “We must urgently reverse dangerous trends on the ground. Relentless settler expansion and violence, and the looming threat of annexation, must stop.”
Stressing the imperative for world peace and the immediate cessation of settlement activities, he said, “Calls from the International Court of Justice must be heeded—including for Israel to immediately cease settlement activities and end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
“The illegal occupation must end. We must support Palestinian institutions politically and financially to carry out essential reforms and ensure fiscal stability.
“A just and lasting peace will never be built through more violence. It demands a collective commitment—to diplomacy, international law, and the dignity of all people.
“The Security Council must take action. Each member must uphold its responsibilities. We cannot let this fragile moment slip away.”
The Israeli military onslaught in Gaza City is compounding an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Countless Palestinian civilians and remaining hostages are trapped under relentless bombardment, deprived of food, water, electricity, and medicine. Famine is a reality. The population is constantly forced to move and starved. Calling this situation untenable and morally and legally indefensible barely captures the scale of human suffering.
“I have repeatedly appealed for an immediate, permanent ceasefire; the unconditional release of all hostages; and unhindered humanitarian access. UN resolutions continue to be ignored, international humanitarian law violated, and impunity prevails. Our collective credibility is being undermined,” he said.