UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Tuesday that recent developments in the Middle East could create “an irreversible one-state reality” that would bury the two-state solution of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
“Negative trends on the ground have the potential to create an irreversible one-state reality that is incompatible with realising the legitimate national, historic and democratic aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians,” Guterres told a UN meeting of a committee on Palestinian rights.
The UN chief said the global consensus on settling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict “could be eroding, making effective concerted action more difficult to achieve, at a time when it is more important than ever.”
The Middle East peace process was upended when US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, ignoring the internationally-held view that the status of the holy city would be decided in peace negotiations.
The General Assembly adopted a resolution last month rejecting the US decision by a vote of 128 to nine with 35 abstentions.
The United States has also cut back its funding to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), prompting Guterres to appeal to countries to step in to fill the gap.
Israel’s ongoing construction of settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, violent attacks and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza are dimming prospects for a long-term peace, said the UN chief.
“There is no Plan B,” Guterres told the meeting. “A two-state solution is the only way to achieve the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and secure a sustainable solution to the conflict.”
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas is due to address the UN Security Council later this month after US Ambassador Nikki Haley said he lacked the courage needed for a peace deal.
The learned UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres needs to be educated in the history of this land. The history is that this is the third time this land has been invaded and occupied by the European trouble makers. The Europeans have always brought to this land their violence, injustices thus desecration of the holy Commandments Lord Almighty gave Moses.
By the will of Lord Almighty the occupation of this land by the Godless Romans and subsequently their children have always been temporary. Lord Almighty willing the present day occupation of this land will also be temporary.
Today it looks impossible to happen. It also looked impossible 2000, 1900, 1800 years ago. But Lord willing, it happened. So Lord willing the European trouble makers are bound to meet the same fate as did their forefathers. Peace has always returned to this land when the trouble making Europeans have been thrown out of this land. Peace will return when the same happens again.
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