UN Chief Antonio Guterres Warns of 'Ethnic Cleansing' Threat in West Bank and Condemns Middle East Escalation

Rising violence and settlement expansion in the Israeli-occupied West Bank are raising the "spectre of ethnic cleansing" and severely undermining the prospects for a two-state solution, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned on Tuesday.

Speaking to world leaders during an address at the UN General Assembly in New York, Mr Guterres stated that the ongoing conflict is "bulldozing the path to peace". He emphasized, "We cannot allow the two-state solution to disappear before our eyes."

Mr Guterres urged global leaders at the annual high-level summit to work towards de-escalating conflicts across the Middle East, cautioning that hostilities were "cascading" throughout the region and that previous ceasefires had done little more than act as "lesser fires".

"Enough is enough," he declared. "The fighting must stop. Humanitarian aid must flow. And navigational rights and freedoms must be fully restored in accordance with international law."

Focusing on Gaza, Mr Guterres characterized Israel’s military campaign following the Hamas-led 2023 attacks as an "onslaught on Palestinians," highlighting a level of destruction and loss of life unprecedented during his nearly ten years in office as UN chief. He stressed that the wider turmoil in the Middle East should not distract the international community from the severe humanitarian crisis in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Furthermore, Mr Guterres drew attention to the role of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which previously issued provisional orders directing Israel to prevent acts that could violate the Genocide Convention in Gaza. While Israel has consistently denied allegations of genocide, Mr Guterres insisted that "all parties must comply with international law and the court’s orders." He also demanded that the UN be permitted to continue its operations in Gaza safely and that all humanitarian personnel receive adequate protection.

In what marks his final address before stepping down at the end of the year, Mr Guterres made a passionate appeal for "a world built on interdependence," urging leaders to maintain cooperation and collective decision-making despite escalating global challenges and great power rivalry.

Addressing the climate crisis, Mr Guterres strongly criticized major global oil companies for treating the Earth's atmosphere like an "open sewer". He stated, "We know that fossil fuel interests won't step aside on their own. For decades, 'Big Oil' has treated the atmosphere as an open sewer and cashed in on the consequences." He noted that since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, five leading western oil companies had amassed nearly half a trillion dollars in profits, contrasting this figure with the $34 billion allocated to assist developing nations in coping with a warming planet, while everyday citizens face rising costs for energy, food, and insurance.