Guterres Warns West Bank Actions Threaten Two-State Solution

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that violence, displacement and Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank are undermining prospects for peace and raising what he described as the “spectre of ethnic cleansing.”

Guterres made the remarks on September 22 while opening the General Debate of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York, where he urged world leaders to intensify diplomatic efforts to address the escalating crises across the Middle East.

“Violence, displacement and settlement expansion by Israel in the Occupied West Bank are bulldozing the path to peace and raising the spectre of ethnic cleansing,” Guterres said, warning that the international community must not allow the two-state solution to disappear.

The UN chief also called for an end to fighting across the region, urging governments to prioritize de-escalation and dialogue while ensuring that humanitarian assistance reaches civilians in need.

“Enough is enough,” Guterres said, calling for fighting to stop, humanitarian aid to flow and navigational rights and freedoms to be restored in accordance with international law.

Turning to Gaza, Guterres described the scale of killing and destruction since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks as unlike anything he had witnessed during his tenure as UN secretary-general.

He reiterated that all parties must comply with international law and with relevant orders of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), while stressing the need to protect humanitarian personnel and enable the United Nations to carry out its work in Gaza.

His comments came amid continued international concern over developments in the West Bank. A UN Human Rights Office report published earlier in September said Israeli forces had forcibly displaced the Palestinian populations of three refugee camps — Jenin, Nur Shams and Tulkarm — during military operations in 2025 and continued to prevent residents from returning. The report said the operation raised serious concerns under international law, including concerns relating to forcible transfer and ethnic cleansing.

Guterres had also warned ahead of the General Assembly that what he described as “creeping annexation” in the West Bank, alongside settler violence and settlement expansion, posed a serious risk to prospects for peace.

In his wider address, the secretary-general said the Middle East was among several areas where conflicts were continuing to test the international system. He also highlighted the wars in Ukraine and Sudan, climate change, inequality and the rapid development of artificial intelligence as major challenges requiring greater international cooperation.

Guterres further renewed his call for reform of the UN Security Council, including greater representation for Africa, arguing that the Council’s current composition does not adequately reflect today’s geopolitical realities.

The remarks come as world leaders gather in New York for the high-level segment of the 81st General Assembly, which runs from September 22 to 28 under the theme “Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all.”

The debate over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is expected to remain a major issue during the General Assembly, with calls from UN officials and several governments for civilian protection, humanitarian access and renewed diplomatic efforts toward a political settlement based on the two-state framework.