UN Chief Calls Israel’s West Bank Annexation Illegal, Urges Two-State Solution

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said Israel’s gradual takeover of the occupied West Bank is illegal and must end, adding that the “wholesale destruction of Gaza is intolerable.” Speaking on 28 July, Guterres warned that any unilateral actions that could permanently undermine the two-state solution are unacceptable. Guterres stressed that a negotiated two-state framework remains the only internationally supported route to lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians. He urged all parties to halt measures that erode prospects for a viable Palestinian state alongside Israel. His remarks were echoed by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, who said a two-state settlement is the sole path to meet the legitimate aspirations of both peoples. Egypt’s foreign minister added that Cairo is seeking the widest possible international consensus on recognising a Palestinian state.