two-state solution faces collapse amid settlement expansion
The United Nations secretary‑general warned on Tuesday that the two‑state solution for the Israel‑Palestine conflict is at risk of collapse as Israeli settlement expansion and annexation continue in the Occupied…
Source: United Nations News · September 23, 2026 at 1:38 AM · AI-assisted report
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NEW YORK, 23 SEPTEMBER 2026 —
The United Nations secretary‑general warned on Tuesday that the two‑state solution for the Israel‑Palestine conflict is at risk of collapse as Israeli settlement expansion and annexation continue in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
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António Guterres made the remarks at a high‑level meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, hosted by Canada, France, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom.
Guterres said that although support for a two‑state outcome has increased on paper, “the conditions for an independent, democratic, contiguous, viable and sovereign Palestinian State are being systematically erased.” He pointed to Israeli actions ranging from the war‑ravaged Gaza Strip to settler attacks in the West Bank as evidence that progress on the ground is being undermined.
The meeting, titled “The Road Ahead”, examined the two‑state solution and a comprehensive peace plan for Gaza, building on the September 2025 adoption of the New York Declaration. That declaration, according to the UN, pledged to end the war that erupted in 2023 after Hamas attacks on Israel, which have caused widespread destruction across Gaza and killed more than 70,000 Palestinians.
The UN Security Council also endorsed a ceasefire agreement reached in October 2025 and US President Donald Trump’s 20‑point provisional deal, which established a Board of Peace under his leadership.
“For Palestinians and all those who care about peace in the Middle East, support for two States must go beyond words,” Guterres told leaders at the event. He reiterated that the only credible path to lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians is the two‑state solution based on pre‑1967 lines, international law, relevant Security Council resolutions and prior agreements, adding that it remains central to broader regional stability.
The UN chief highlighted that illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank violate international law, citing International Court of Justice findings and Security Council resolution 2334. He warned that settlement expansion is accelerating, with more settler outposts and a sharp rise in settler violence against Palestinians, including demolitions, evictions, land seizures and violations at holy sites. Such actions create a coercive environment that displaces Palestinian families and raises fears of ethnic cleansing.
Guterres singled out Israel’s settlement plans for the E1 section of the occupied West Bank, saying that if advanced, they would deal a “deathblow to the prospect of a contiguous and viable Palestinian State.” He also turned to Gaza, stressing that promises of a better future remain meaningless without tangible improvements on the ground, where most of Gaza’s 2.3 million population still lives in tent shelters among ruined buildings.
The secretary‑general called for full implementation of the Trump Peace Plan and welcomed recent steps taken by some UN Member States toward this goal. He emphasized that Gaza and the West Bank must remain politically, economically and territorially unified under a single, legitimate Palestinian Government. The ultimate goal, he said, is two sovereign, democratic states – Israel and Palestine – co‑existing within secure, recognised borders, with Jerusalem serving as the capital of both.
“There is simply no alternative,” he added, “and time is running out.”
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