United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said that support for a two-state solution must be backed by concrete decisions and actions rather than remaining only at the level of statements.

Speaking at a high-level international meeting on “The Two-State Solution and the Comprehensive Peace Plan for Gaza” held during the high-level week of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, Guterres addressed the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories and the prospects for peace in the region.

Guterres recalled that several countries recognized the State of Palestine over the past year, saying these steps reflected recognition that the path toward lasting peace and security for Palestinians and the occupation regime lies through a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders, international law, relevant UN Security Council resolutions and previous agreements.

He said the two-state solution was important not only for Palestinians and the occupation regime but also for achieving broader peace and security across the region.

Guterres warned that conditions necessary for the establishment of an independent, democratic, territorially connected, viable and sovereign Palestinian state were being systematically undermined.

Referring to the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, including the West Bank and East Jerusalem, Guterres said:

“Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory are a clear violation of international law.”

He noted that nearly a decade after the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2334, Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem continued to expand.

Guterres said demolitions, forced evictions, displacement, land confiscations and violations of the status quo at holy sites were increasing pressure on Palestinians.

He warned that these practices were pushing Palestinian families away from their homes and lands, adding that concerns over the possibility of “ethnic cleansing” were growing.

Guterres also said the implementation of the E1 settlement plan in the West Bank would seriously damage the possibility of establishing a viable and territorially connected Palestinian state.

The UN has previously warned that the E1 plan would weaken the connection between the northern and southern parts of the West Bank and threaten the viability of a two-state solution.

“Support must go beyond words”

Addressing the situation in Gaza, Guterres said promises of a better future would lose credibility unless there was a tangible change on the ground for families facing destruction and despair.

He stressed that the Comprehensive Peace Plan for Gaza must be fully implemented.

“For Palestinians and everyone who cares about peace in the Middle East, support for a two-state solution must go beyond words,” Guterres said.

The UN chief said policies should no longer be expressed only through statements but through decisions and concrete actions, calling for progress toward a credible political process.(ILKHA)