NNA ndash; Following are UN Secretary-General Antoacute;nio Guterresrsquo; remarks to Security Council quarterly open debate on the Middle East, including the Palestinian question:

quot;Mr. President, Excellencies,

I thank the French presidency for convening this ministerial-level meeting on the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.nbsp;

The region is undergoing fundamental shifts, marked by violence and volatility but also opportunity and potential.

In Lebanon, the ceasefire and territorial integrity must be respected and all commitments implemented.nbsp;

In Syria, we must keep working to support the countryrsquo;s path towards a political transition that is inclusive of all segments of the Syrian population ndash; one that ensures accountability, fosters national healing, and lays the foundation for Syriarsquo;s long-term recovery and further integration into the international community. nbsp;

This includes the situation in the occupied Syrian Golan — which remains precarious with significant violations of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement, with thenbsp;continued presencenbsp;of the Israel Defense Forces into the area of separationand their several strikes targeting locations across the ceasefire line.nbsp;

Across the Middle East, people demand and deserve a better future, not endless conflict and suffering.nbsp;

We must collectively work to ensure that this turbulent and transitional period meets those aspirations — and delivers justice, dignity, rights, security and lasting peace.

It startsnbsp;bynbsp;recognizing two fundamental facts: nbsp;

First, that the region is at a hinge-point in history. nbsp;

And, second, that truly sustainable Middle East peace hinges on one central question.

On a core issue that this Security Council has affirmed and re-affirmed decade after decade, year after year: nbsp;a two-state solution, Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side in peace and security, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states.

Mr. President,nbsp;

Today,nbsp;thenbsp;promisenbsp;of a two-State solutionnbsp;is at risk ofnbsp;dwindling to the point of disappearance. nbsp;

The politicalnbsp;commitmentnbsp;to this long-standing goalnbsp;is farther than it has ever been.

As a result,nbsp;the rights of both Israelis and Palestiniansnbsp;to live and peace and securitynbsp;have been undermined ndash; and the legitimate national aspirations of thenbsp;Palestiniansnbsp;havenbsp;been deniednbsp;ndash; while they endurenbsp;Israelrsquo;s continued presencenbsp;that the International Court of Justice has found unlawful. nbsp;

Andnbsp;since the horrific 7 October terror attacks by Hamas,nbsp;itnbsp;has gotten worse onnbsp;everynbsp;front.nbsp;

First,nbsp;the unrelentingnbsp;conflictnbsp;and devastation in Gazanbsp;ndash; including the utterly inhumane conditionsnbsp;of lifenbsp;imposednbsp;on its peoplenbsp;who arenbsp;repeatedly coming under attack,nbsp;confined to smaller andnbsp;smaller spaces, and deprivednbsp;of lifesavingnbsp;relief. nbsp;

In line with international law, the Security Council has rejectedany attempt at demographic or territorial change in the Gaza Strip, including any actions that reducenbsp;itsnbsp;territory. nbsp;

Gaza isnbsp;–nbsp;and must remainnbsp;–nbsp;an integral part of a future Palestinian state.

Second, in thenbsp;occupiednbsp;West Bank,nbsp;including East Jerusalem,nbsp;Israeli military operationsnbsp;andnbsp;the use ofnbsp;heavy weaponry in residential areas,nbsp;forciblenbsp;displacement, demolitions, movement restrictions,nbsp;and settlement expansionnbsp;arenbsp;dramatically alteringdemographic and geographic realities. nbsp;

Palestinians are being contained and coerced. nbsp;Contained in areas that are subject to increasing military operations and where the Palestinian Authority is under growing pressure ndash; and coerced out of areas where settlements are expanding. nbsp;

Third, settler violence continues at alarmingly high levelsnbsp;in a climate of impunity, with entire Palestinian communities facing repeated assaults andnbsp;destruction, sometimesnbsp;abetted bynbsp;Israeli soldiers.nbsp;

Palestinian attacks against Israelis in both Israel and thenbsp;occupiednbsp;West Banknbsp;alsonbsp;continue.

Mr. President,nbsp;

The world cannotnbsp;afford tonbsp;watch the two-State solution disappear. nbsp;

Political leaders face clear choices — the choice to be silent, the choice to acquiesce, or the choice tonbsp;act.

Mr.nbsp;President,

Innbsp;Gaza,nbsp;there is no end in sight to the killing and misery.nbsp;

The ceasefirenbsp;hadnbsp;brought a glimmer of hope ndash; the long-sought release of hostages and delivery of lifesaving humanitarian relief.nbsp;

But those embers ofnbsp;opportunitynbsp;were cruelly extinguished with thenbsp;shattering of the ceasefirenbsp;on 18 March. nbsp;

Since then,nbsp;almost 2,000nbsp;Palestinians have been killed in Gaza by Israeli strikes and military operationsnbsp;ndash; including women, children, journalists, andnbsp;humanitarians.

Hamas also continuesnbsp;to fire rockets towards Israel indiscriminatelynbsp;ndash; while the hostagesnbsp;continue to be held in appalling conditions. nbsp;

The humanitariannbsp;situationnbsp;throughout the Gaza Stripnbsp;hasnbsp;gone from badnbsp;hellip;nbsp;to worsenbsp;hellip;nbsp;tonbsp;beyond imagination. nbsp;

For nearly two full months,nbsp;Israel hasnbsp;blockednbsp;food, fuel,nbsp;medicinenbsp;and commercial supplies, depriving more than two million people of lifesaving relief.nbsp;nbsp;

All while the world watches.

I am alarmed by statements by Israeli government officialsnbsp;about the use of humanitarian aid as a tool for military pressure.

Aid is non-negotiable. nbsp;

Israelnbsp;mustnbsp;protect civilians andnbsp;must agree to relief schemes and facilitate them.

Inbsp;salute thenbsp;women and men of thenbsp;United Nationsnbsp;and all other humanitarian workersnbsp;ndash; especially our Palestinian colleagues –nbsp;who continue to worknbsp;under firenbsp;and in incomprehensibly difficult conditions.

And I mournnbsp;allnbsp;ofnbsp;the women and men of the United Nationsnbsp;who werenbsp;killed ndash; includingnbsp;somenbsp;with their families.

The entry of assistance must be restorednbsp;immediatelynbsp;– the safety of UN personnel and humanitarian partners must be guaranteednbsp;ndash; and UN agencies must be allowed to work in full respect of humanitarian principles: nbsp;humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence.

There must be no hindrancenbsp;in humanitarian aidnbsp;ndash; includingnbsp;throughnbsp;the vital work of UNRWA.nbsp;

We neednbsp;thenbsp;immediate andnbsp;unconditional release ofnbsp;allhostages.nbsp;

And we need a permanent ceasefire.

Itrsquo;s time to stopnbsp;the repeated displacement of the Gaza populationnbsp;ndash; along with anynbsp;questionnbsp;ofnbsp;forced displacementoutside of Gaza.

And the trampling ofnbsp;international lawnbsp;must end.

I call on Member States to use their leverage tonbsp;ensurenbsp;thatnbsp;international law isnbsp;respectednbsp;and impunity does not prevail.

This includesnbsp;fornbsp;thenbsp;19 Marchnbsp;incidentnbsp;fornbsp;whichnbsp;Israel has now acknowledgednbsp;responsibility in firingnbsp;onnbsp;a UN guesthouse, killing one colleague and injuring sixnbsp;others hellip;nbsp;thenbsp;23 Marchnbsp;killing ofnbsp;paramedics and other rescue workersnbsp;in Rafah hellip;nbsp;as well as many othernbsp;cases.

There must be accountability across the board.nbsp;

Mr.nbsp;President,nbsp;

Advisory proceedings are ongoing at the International Court of Justice onnbsp;the obligations of Israel, as an occupying Power and a Member of the United Nations,nbsp;in relation tonbsp;thenbsp;presence and activities of the United Nations in and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

In February, thenbsp;United Nationsnbsp;Legal Counsel submitted anbsp;written statement to the Courtnbsp;ndash; and yesterday, she made an oral statement before the Courtnbsp;ndash; both of whichnbsp;on my behalf.

The statement to the Court includesnbsp;pointsnbsp;thatnbsp;I havenbsp;made onnbsp;a number ofnbsp;occasions.

Specifically, thatnbsp;all parties to conflict must comply with all their obligations under international law, including international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

That Israel, as an occupying Power,nbsp;is under an obligation tonbsp;ensure foodnbsp;and medical supplies of thenbsp;population.

That Israel has annbsp;obligation to agree to and facilitate relief schemesnbsp;in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

That humanitarian, medical and United Nations personnelnbsp;must be respected and protected.

Andnbsp;I emphasize the obligationnbsp;under international law tonbsp;respect the privileges and immunities of the United Nations and its personnel, including the absolute inviolability of United Nations premises, property and assetsnbsp;ndash; and the immunitynbsp;from legal process of the United Nations.nbsp;nbsp;

Such immunity applies to all UN entities in the Occupied Palestinian Territorynbsp;ndash; includingnbsp;UNRWA ndash; a subsidiary organ of the General Assembly.

I call on Member States tonbsp;fully supportnbsp;all ofnbsp;these efforts. nbsp;

Mr. President,nbsp;

In this period ofnbsp;turmoil andnbsp;transitionnbsp;for the region, Member States must spell out how they will realize the commitment and promise of a two-State solution.

This is not a time for ritualistically expressing support, ticking a box, and moving on.

We are past the stage of ticking boxes ndash; the clock is ticking.nbsp;

The two-State solution is near a point of no return. nbsp;

The internationalnbsp;community has a responsibility to prevent perpetual occupation andnbsp;violence.nbsp;

My call tonbsp;Membernbsp;States isnbsp;clearnbsp;and urgent:nbsp;

Take irreversible action towards implementingnbsp;a two-State solution.nbsp;

Do not let extremists on any sidenbsp;underminenbsp;what remains ofnbsp;the peace process.

The High-Level Conference in June, co-chairednbsp;by France and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,nbsp;isnbsp;an important opportunity torevitalize international support.nbsp;

I encouragenbsp;Membernbsp;States to go beyond affirmations, and to think creatively aboutnbsp;thenbsp;concretenbsp;steps theynbsp;willnbsp;take to support anbsp;viablenbsp;two-Statenbsp;solutionnbsp;before it is too late.

At the same time,nbsp;the Palestinian Authoritynbsp;needs stepped-up and sustained supportnbsp;ndash; politically and financially. nbsp;Thisnbsp;is crucial to ensure the continued viability of Palestinian institutions, consolidate ongoing reforms, and enable the PA to resumenbsp;its full responsibilities in Gaza.

Mr. President,nbsp;

At this hingenbsp;pointnbsp;of history for the people of the Middle East ndash; and on this issue on which sonbsp;muchnbsp;hinges ndash; leaders mustnbsp;stand andnbsp;deliver. nbsp;

Show the political courage and exercise the political will to make good on this central question for peacenbsp;for Palestinians, Israelis,nbsp;the region and humanity.nbsp;

Thank you.quot;

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