Rejecting Two-State Solution, Denying Palestinian Statehood 'Unacceptable': UN Chief

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Uganda on Saturday that the right of the Palestinian people to build their own state “must be recognised by all.”

“The refusal to accept a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians, and the denial of the right to statehood for the Palestinian people, are unacceptable,” the UN leader insisted in the Ugandan capital Kampala.

Such a stance “would indefinitely prolong a conflict that has become a major threat to global peace and security; exacerbate polarisation; and embolden extremists everywhere,” Guterres warned. “The right of the Palestinian people to build their own state must be recognised by all.”

The Israeli war on Hamas in Gaza was prompted by the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas fighters. That attack resulted in the deaths of about 1,140 people, most of them Israeli civilians. Israel’s relentless bombardment and ground offensive since then have killed at least 24,927 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas government’s health ministry.

‘Israeli military aggression’

In its final communique, the Non-Aligned Movement on Saturday “strongly condemned the Israeli military aggression against the Gaza Strip”, and called for “a lasting humanitarian ceasefire”. The assembled leaders in Kampala also called for “the independence and sovereignty of the State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, to achieve a two-state solution”. The Non-Aligned Movement is a forum of 120 countries that aren’t formally aligned to any major power bloc. Its members include India, Iran, Iraq and South Africa.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has deplored the “inhuman living conditions” in the small coastal territory of 2.4 million inhabitants, many of whom have been displaced by the Israeli action. On Monday, Guterres appealed for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.

The United States, Israel’s main ally and key supporter in its war against Hamas, has also recently reiterated its support for the creation of a Palestinian state. In recent days, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reaffirmed his opposition to the creation of a viable Palestinian state, drawing criticism from his American ally.

Biden spoke Friday with Netanyahu in the leaders’ first call in almost a month amid sharp disagreements over what should happen in Gaza after the ongoing war concludes. The White House said they discussed “the latest developments in Israel and Gaza.” Washington has also pressed Tel Aviv to take additional steps to protect Palestinian civilians and scale back the intensity of its military efforts to root out Hamas in Gaza.

(With agency inputs)