UN Chief: Establishing a Palestinian State Is a Right, Not a RewardNew York, 23 Sep (ONA) — UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has voiced strong support for international efforts to revive the two-state solution, emphasizing that the establishment of a Palestinian state is “not a reward, but a right”. Speaking at the opening of the high-level international conference on the peaceful resolution of the Palestinian issue, held at the UN General Assembly headquarters in New York, Guterres welcomed recent moves by several countries to mobilize support for the two-state solution, including pledges to recognize the State of Palestine. In a powerful address, the UN chief described the situation in Gaza and the West Bank as “collective punishment” of the Palestinian people and a systematic destruction of Gaza. He also expressed deep disappointment over the absence of the Palestinian delegation from the conference, calling it a missed opportunity for dialogue and representation. Guterres reiterated his call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and stressed the urgent need for safe, full, and unhindered access to humanitarian aid. He warned that the continued expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and escalating settler violence are striking at the heart of the two-state solution and must come to an end. He described the current situation as “morally, legally, and politically untenable”. The Secretary-General underscored the critical need to preserve the prospect of a two-state solution before it is too late, cautioning that the alternative — a one-state reality — would deny Palestinians their basic rights, forcibly displace them from their land, and condemn them to a future under perpetual occupation. Such a scenario, he noted, would not bring peace and would only deepen Israel’s international isolation. Concluding his remarks, Guterres stressed the importance of establishing a sovereign and secure Palestinian state, existing side by side with Israel based on the pre-June 4, 1967 borders, in line with relevant United Nations resolutions.— Ends/Khalid