UN’s Guterres vows to push for Palestine two-state solution, says he will ‘not shut up’
UN Secretary-General António Guterres reaffirmed in New York that he will keep pushing for a Palestine two-state solution, criticising a paralysed Security Council and warning of rising global conflicts and climate risks.
United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres has reaffirmed his commitment to advancing a two-state solution to the Palestinian conflict, insisting he will "not shut up" on the issue even if progress stalls.
The two-state solution is a proposed framework to establish an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel, aimed at balancing Palestinian aspirations for self-determination with Israel’s sovereignty.
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Speaking at the 2025 UN Reham Al-Farra Fellowship over the weekend, Guterres stressed that political efforts must continue, warning that simply avoiding a return to past violence "is not enough."
"It is absolutely essential that we move to Phase Two, and that the final result is the two-state solution... There will be no peace in the Middle East without the self-determination of the Palestinian people," he said.
Continue to speak out
Guterres added that even if the UN Security Council fails to act, he will continue to speak out whenever international law or the UN Charter is ignored.
Efforts to establish a Palestinian state alongside Israel have repeatedly stalled over the years. Disputes over borders, the status of Jerusalem, Israeli settlements and recurring cycles of violence have prevented meaningful progress, leaving the prospect of a viable, independent Palestinian state uncertain.
He also painted a bleak picture of the global situation, saying the world is far more dangerous than when he became Secretary-General in 2017. He pointed to conflicts such as the war in Ukraine, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, escalating violence in Sudan, Myanmar and the Sahel, and the spread of terrorism across Africa.
Guterres criticised the UN Security Council as "paralysed" and outdated, noting that Africa and Latin America have no permanent representation and that the veto system "protects violations of international law."
He also warned about climate change, stressing that global temperatures are on track to exceed the 1.5°C target, with catastrophic consequences for human health, food security and global stability. According to Guterres, current national emissions pledges would cut emissions by only 10 per cent by 2035 — far short of the 60 per cent reduction required.
On institutional reform, Guterres said the UN is working to amplify the voice of the Global South, but progress depends on the will of member states.
"Power is never distributed. Power is taken," he said.
He further raised concerns about declining contributions to development and humanitarian aid, warning of a "deep disaster" for communities facing hunger, collapsing infrastructure and limited access to health services.
"There is no solution to global issues without strong multilateral institutions... The answer is not to get rid of them, but to transform them," he said.
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