UN Secretary-General reaffirms that a Palestinian state is a right, not a reward.
António Guterres calls for urgent measures against aggression in Gaza and defends a two-state solution as the only path to peace.
247 - UN Secretary-General António Guterres declared on Tuesday (29) that the establishment of a Palestinian state should not be seen as a concession, but as a legitimate right of the Palestinian people. “A Palestinian state is a right, not a reward,” Guterres said during a high-level conference held at the United Nations headquarters in New York, aimed at discussing ways to implement the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The international meeting was organized by France and Saudi Arabia, and brought together representatives from various countries and multilateral organizations committed to the pursuit of lasting peace in the Middle East.
In his statement, Guterres was emphatic in warning that denying the creation of a Palestinian state "will only strengthen extremists, deepen Tel Aviv's international isolation, and exacerbate global instability." According to him, the diplomatic impasse and inaction in the face of systematic human rights violations have led the peace process to a state of prolonged stagnation.
“For decades, diplomacy in the Middle East has been a process. Words have lost their weight in the face of the reality of occupation, violence and annexation,” lamented the UN chief. For Guterres, the only realistic solution is the recognition of two sovereign, democratic and independent states, with secure and mutually recognized borders, based on the 1967 lines and with Jerusalem as a shared capital.
The UN Secretary-General also rejected the possibility of a single state under Israeli rule, in which Palestinians would remain without equal rights. “What is the alternative? A single state where Palestinians live under permanent occupation, without equal rights? That is neither peace nor justice, nor is it permitted by international law,” he emphasized.
Guterres also called for concrete and immediate action to curb the escalating violence and hold those responsible for crimes against civilians accountable. "We need urgent and tangible measures to end aggression, settlements and annexations, forced displacement, all forms of ethnic cleansing, and accountability for war crimes," he declared.
Referring to the situation in Gaza, Guterres described the scenario as an ongoing humanitarian catastrophe. "The population is threatened by famine, attacks and destruction, while the world watches," he said. In this regard, he demanded an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages, and full and unrestricted humanitarian access to the territory.
According to the head of the United Nations, these measures should not be seen as obstacles to the peace process, but as indispensable pillars for building a new path.
Guterres concluded his speech with a moral appeal to the international community: “This is not just a political challenge, but a moral imperative. Let us finally choose the path of peace. Not as a dream, but as a real commitment, for all the peoples of the world.”
Guterres' statements gain weight at a time when global pressure is growing for an end to the genocide. The conference, by bringing together different voices from the international scene, reaffirms the urgency of placing international law and humanitarian principles at the center of political decisions regarding Palestine.
