UN chief wants return of two-state solution after Gaza crisis

New York, US | Xinhua | UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres foresees that a strengthened Palestinian Authority would assume responsibilities in Gaza after the current crisis and international players would work toward a two-state solution.

Asked about his vision “for the day after” in Gaza, Guterres said it is important to be able to transform this tragedy into an opportunity for a long-term settlement.

“And for that to be possible, it is essential that after the war we move in a determined and irreversible way to a two-state solution,” he said.

“I believe it will be important to have a strengthened Palestinian Authority assuming responsibilities in Gaza. I understand that the Palestinian Authority cannot come with Israeli tanks in Gaza, which means that the international community needs to move into a transition period,” he said. “I do not think that a UN protectorate in Gaza is a solution. I think we need a multi-stakeholder approach in which different countries, different entities, will cooperate.”

“For Israel, the United States is the main guarantor of its security. For Palestinians, the neighboring and Arab countries of the region are essential. So everybody needs to come together to make the conditions for a transition, allowing for a strengthened Palestinian Authority to assume responsibilities in Gaza and then, based on that, to finally move in a determined and irreversible way to a two-state solution based on the principles that have been largely established by the international community,” said Guterres.

He emphasized that for the short term, there must be a humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza.

“To have an after, we must have a before. And the before obviously conditions the after. And that is why I have been insisting on the need for a humanitarian cease-fire, on unrestricted access for humanitarian aid, on the liberation of hostages and on the need to end the violations of international humanitarian law and the (need for) protection of civilians,” he said. ■