UN Envoy Warns Middle East Peace at Risk, Urges Two-State Solution

Dire Humanitarian Situation in Gaza

• ⚠️ Civilians in Gaza are facing an "abyss" due to man-made hostilities, with limited aid entry being "comparable to a lifeboat after the ship has sunk."
• 💔 The population faces the risk of famine, with families being starved and denied basic necessities.
• 🚫 Forced displacement of civilians must be unequivocally rejected and prevented, with Palestinians supported to stay on their land.

The Two-State Solution on Life Support

• 🆘 There can be no sustainable peace without resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; the two-state solution is on "life support" and requires collective action.
• 🎯 A political process is needed to end the occupation and realize a two-state solution based on international law, UN resolutions, and previous agreements.
• 🤝 This includes unifying Gaza and the West Bank under a Palestinian state existing alongside Israel, with Jerusalem as its capital.

Escalating Violence and Instability

• 💥 Israel has the right to live in peace and security, but durable security cannot be achieved solely through force; it must be built on mutual recognition, justice, and rights.
• 🚀 Hamas and other armed groups must stop launching rockets towards Israel, and the unconditional release of hostages is paramount.
• 📈 The West Bank is on a dangerous trajectory due to settlement expansion, land seizures, and settler violence, which makes the two-state solution physically impossible.
• ⚖️ Violence against civilians from any side is never justified, and Israeli security operations have resulted in Palestinian casualties.

Call for Political Will and Action

• 🗣️ The international community must pivot from declarations to decisions, implementing existing agreements rather than adopting new texts.
• 🌍 An upcoming high-level international conference in June presents a critical opportunity to launch a path towards ending the occupation.
• 🏛️ Postwar Palestinian governance and security arrangements are needed, supporting a reformed, revitalized, and empowered Palestinian government for both Gaza and the West Bank.
• 💡 The responsibility lies with both the parties and the international community to act now and reverse the current trajectory before the two-state solution disappears.