UN warns Israel’s settlement move threatens two-state solution

KARACHI: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has voiced grave concern over Israel’s decision to ease settlement expansion and widen administrative powers in the occupied West Bank, warning that the move is accelerating a trajectory that undermines prospects for a negotiated two-State solution.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson on Monday, the UN chief said the latest measures would make it easier for Israeli settlers to take over Palestinian land, entrenching Israel’s control over the territory and eroding the foundations of a viable Palestinian state. He reiterated that all Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, “have no legal validity and constitute a flagrant violation of international law,” citing relevant UN resolutions.
“Such actions, including Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, are not only destabilizing but – as recalled by the International Court of Justice – unlawful,” the statement said.
Mr. Guterres called on Israel to reverse the measures and urged all parties to preserve “the only path to lasting peace,” a negotiated two-State solution in line with international law and Security Council resolutions.
Asked about the statement during a regular briefing in New York, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the decisions were “not moving us in the right direction.” He added that they were driving the parties “further and further away from a two-State solution and from the ability of the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian people to control their own destiny.”
The warning comes amid continued humanitarian strain in the Gaza Strip, where UN agencies and partners are responding to immense needs despite operational impediments. According to Mr. Dujarric, hundreds of thousands of meals are being served daily, alongside digital cash assistance and monthly food rations.
However, Gaza City continues to face a severe shortage of drinking and domestic water, despite the recent partial reopening of a valve on the Mekorot supply line connecting Israel to Gaza. Currently, only about 6,000 cubic metres of water reach residents each day, with significant losses in hard-to-reach areas. To mitigate the shortfall, aid partners have increased water production and trucked deliveries from groundwater wells and private desalination plants.
Since late January, humanitarian agencies have distributed more than 100,000 water jerry cans across Gaza, along with over 700,000 bars of soap, more than 25,000 hygiene kits, over 400 household latrines and 250 anti-lice kits. Mine-action teams have also carried out more than 200 assessments of potential explosive hazards to support debris removal, while education campaigns reached over 10,000 children and adults last week to warn of the risks posed by unexploded ordnance.
Despite a ceasefire that took effect last October, 33 explosive ordnance incidents have been reported, resulting in nine deaths and 65 injuries, underscoring the lingering dangers faced by civilians.
The UN aid coordination office, OCHA, said relief operations remain hampered by restrictions on the entry of so-called “dual-use” items and materials deemed non-humanitarian, including spare parts and certain shelter supplies. Humanitarian efforts have also been undermined by Israel’s de-registration of some international NGOs and restrictions imposed on UNRWA and other UN agencies.
As diplomatic warnings mount and humanitarian needs persist, the UN has renewed its call for restraint, legality and engagement, cautioning that actions on the ground risk foreclosing the possibility of a just and lasting peace.