British News Agency

UN Secretary-General Guterres issued a statement regarding the administrative and implementation measures approved by Israel’s security cabinet in the West Bank. In the statement conveyed by UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, Guterres said:

“The UN Secretary-General is gravely concerned by the decision of Israel’s security cabinet to approve a series of administrative and implementation measures in Areas A and B of the occupied West Bank. This decision, together with current trends on the ground, weakens the prospects for a two-state solution.”

Guterres also stressed that all Israeli settlements, including those in East Jerusalem, “have no legal validity and are in clear violation of international law, including relevant UN resolutions.”

The Secretary-General recalled that Israel’s presence in the occupied Palestinian territory not only fuels instability, but has also been deemed unlawful by the International Court of Justice.

Guterres said: “I call on Israel to reverse these measures and urge all parties, in line with relevant Security Council resolutions and international law, to preserve the negotiated two-state solution, the only path to lasting peace.”