The Secretary General of the UN, António Guterres, condemned this Saturday, January 20, the refusal of the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to create a Palestinian State in a post-war scenario. At the Non-Aligned Movement Summit in Uganda, he called this position “unacceptable”, warning that it would perpetuate a conflict that threatens global peace. Despite calls from the United States and the European Union to accept such a solution, Netanyahu maintains his position.
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The Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, spoke out on the controversial statements of the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, about the refusal of the creation of a Palestinian State in a possible post-war scenario. He did so within the framework of the XIX Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in Kampala, the capital of Uganda.
The refusal to accept the two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians and the denial of the right to a state for the Palestinian people is unacceptable, Guterres said at the closing ceremony of the meeting.
“This would indefinitely prolong a conflict that has become a major threat to global peace and security, exacerbate polarization and embolden extremists everywhere,” he added.
His statements come in the middle of a heated debate between the United States and Israel, in which the Government of the North American country had reiterated its request to Netanyahu to consider such a solution.
However, the Israeli prime minister denied this possibility, arguing that it would be a danger to the security of his country.
Read alsoWestern calls for a Palestinian state put spotlight on Netanyahu
Following these statements, this Friday, the President of the United States, Joe Biden, contacted Netanyahu and assured that he “continues to believe in the perspective and possibility” of a Palestinian State, but “recognizes that it will take a lot of work to achieve it.” .
The European Union (EU) had also joined the call. The High Representative for Foreign Policy of the bloc, Josep Borrell, denounced that in its attempt to prevent the creation of a Palestinian State, the Israeli Government not only created the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, but also financed it to weaken the Palestinian Authority.
Despite all these calls, Netanyahu's opinion seems unchanged. Also this Saturday his office reiterated that he opposes any form of Palestinian sovereignty in post-war Gaza.
Ceasefire and release of hostages
During his speech, Guterres once again insisted on his request for an immediate ceasefire. Furthermore, he demanded the unconditional release of all hostages.
“We must do everything possible to prevent this conflict from spreading to the entire region: in the West Bank, across the Blue Line between Israel and Lebanon, and in Syria, Iraq and the Red Sea,” warned the UN chief. .
People in Gaza are dying not only from bombs and bullets, but from lack of food & clean water, and hospitals without power & medicine.
This must stop.
I will not relent in my call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the immediate & unconditional release of all hostages.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) January 20, 2024
Netanyahu has repeatedly denied the possibility of reaching a ceasefire. And he promised to continue his offensive in Gaza until “his objectives are achieved.”
Israel's ferocious attacks on the Gaza Strip have claimed the lives of almost 25,000 people, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. A figure that has only risen since the Hamas attack on October 7 in which 1,200 people died in Israel.
The war in Gaza has marked the summit of heads of state and government of the NAM. The 53 member countries – from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean and Europe – have made multiple calls for hostilities to stop.
With EFE
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