‘Time is running out’ for Israeli-Palestinian two-state solution

Key points:

• The conditions for a viable Palestinian State are being “systematically eliminated” through the expansion of Israeli settlements, outposts and increasing settler violence in the occupied West Bank.
• Israel’s illegal E1 settlement plan in the occupied West Bank will deal a “deadly blow” to the Palestinian state
• UN chief reaffirms goal of establishing two sovereign states along pre-1967 lines, with Jerusalem as capital of both

António Guterres speaks at a high-level meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

Even as support for a two-state solution has grown on paper, actions on the ground in the Occupied Palestinian Territories threaten progress, the UN says Secretary General Antonio Guterres said at an event hosted by Canada, France, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom.

“That the conditions for an independent, democratic, contiguous, viable and sovereign Palestinian State are being systematically eliminated,” he said, pointing to Israel’s actions, from war-torn Gaza to Israeli settler attacks in the West Bank.

The road ahead

The meeting entitled The Way Forward, reviewing the two-state solution and comprehensive peace plan for Gaza, which is based on September 2025 adoption from New York Declarationin which world leaders pledged to end the war that erupted in 2023 after Hamas attacks on Israel – which have caused widespread destruction in Gaza and more than 70,000 Palestinians killed.

UN The Security Council supports it the ceasefire agreement reached in October 2025 as well as US President Donald Trump’s 20-point interim agreement which established a Peace Council under his leadership.

“For Palestinians and everyone who cares about peace in the Middle East, support for both countries must go beyond words,” Guterres told leaders at the event.

The only credible path to achieving lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians is a two-state solution, based on pre-1967 lines, international law, and relevant international law. Security Council previous resolutions and agreements, the UN Secretary General said, adding that these also remain important for broader regional stability.

Israel’s illegal annexation attempt

Israel’s illegal settlements in the West Bank are a clear violation of international law, Guterres said, citing International Court of Justice (ICJ) findings and one that is a decade old Security Council Resolution 2334.

However, the expansion of Israeli activities continues to increase along with the proliferation of settler outposts and a sharp increase in settler violence against Palestinians, ranging from demolitions and evictions to land confiscation and violations of holy sites.

This illegal act is creating a coercive environment that displaces Palestinian families and raises fears of ethnic cleansingsaid the UN Secretary General.

He raised particular concerns about Israel’s settlement plans in the E1 section of the occupied West Bank, saying that such actions, if carried out, “would deal a fatal blow to the prospects of a viable and contiguous Palestinian State”.

Read the full text of Security Council resolution 2334 Here.

Real progress is needed in Gaza

Turning to Gaza, the UN Secretary General stressed that promises of a better future would mean nothing without real improvements on the ground, where most of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents still live in tents among destroyed buildings.

In light of this, Guterres called for full implementation of the Trump Peace Plan.

Mr Guterres also urged:

• End Israeli settlement expansion
• Prevention of annexation
• Support for Palestinian institutions
• Support for a credible political process to end the occupation and achieve self-determination

‘There is no other alternative’

Welcoming the recent steps taken by several UN Member States to achieve this goal, he stressed that Gaza and the West Bank must remain united politically, economically and territorially under one legitimate Palestinian Government.

The ultimate goal is for two sovereign and democratic states – Israel and Palestine – to live side by side within secure and recognized borders, with Jerusalem as the capital of both.

“There is no alternative,” he said, “and time is running out.”