At a UN high-level conference, Secretary-General António Guterres warns that peace in West Asia is impossible without a two-state solution and stresses the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres reaffirmed that establishing an independent Palestinian state is a fundamental right of the Palestinian people, not a reward, and emphasized that peace in West Asia cannot be achieved without a two-state solution.

Speaking at the high-level international conference on “Peaceful Resolution of the Palestinian Issue and Implementation of a Two-State Solution” at the UN headquarters in New York, Guterres condemned the October 7, 2023, attacks, known as the Al-Aqsa Flood, and stressed that there is no justification for collective punishment against Palestinians.

He further criticized developments in the West Bank, describing them as “an existential threat to the two-state solution.” Guterres called for the halt of expanding settlements, the threat of annexation of West Bank territories, and settler violence.

Acknowledging the role of France and Saudi Arabia as hosts of the conference, the UN chief said, “Without a two-state solution, there will be no peace in West Asia.”

Addressing those obstructing the establishment of a Palestinian state, Guterres asked:

“What is your alternative? How can a single-state scenario be viable in the 21st century, where Palestinians are denied fundamental rights, displaced from their homes and lands, and subjected to discrimination and ongoing occupation?”(ILKHA)