UN chief Guterres calls statehood for Palestinians 'a right, not a reward'
Speaking at a New York conference on the Middle East convened by France and Saudi Arabia, Guterres said denying statehood would fuel extremism and warned that without a two-state solution, "there will be no peace in the Middle East."
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday welcomed the moves by several countries to recognise a Palestinian state.
"We must recommit ourselves to the two-state solution before it is too late," he said. "Let's be clear: Statehood for the Palestinians is a right, not a reward."
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Speaking at a New York conference on the Middle East convened by France and Saudi Arabia, Guterres said denying statehood would fuel extremism and warned that without a two-state solution, "there will be no peace in the Middle East."
The UN chief repeated his condemnation of the October 7, 2023, attacks but stressed that the collective punishment of Palestinians was unjustifiable.
He urged an immediate Gaza ceasefire, the release of all hostages and unrestricted humanitarian access to the enclave.
The United States and Israel have suggested that recognising Palestinian statehood would constitute a "reward" for the October 7, 2023, attacks.
Guterres also criticised Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, calling it a "creeping threat of annexation" amid rising settler violence.
The UN chief also voiced disappointment that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had been denied a US visa to attend the meeting.
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