Such a position “would indefinitely prolong a conflict that has become a major threat to international peace and security.” The right of Palestinians to build their own state must be “recognized by everyone”, emphasized Guterres.
The Non-Aligned Movement was founded during the Cold War and includes around 120 countries, including Iran, India, Iraq and South Africa.
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Middle East: What will the future of the region be like?
Biden is also clearly in favor of a two-state solution
On Friday, US President Joe Biden also reiterated that he continues to support the creation of a Palestinian state. “The president still believes in the promise and the possibility of a two-state solution,” US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on Friday following Biden's phone call with the Israeli prime minister. , Benjamin Netanyahu. The two-state solution envisages an independent Palestinian state coexisting with Israel.
Netanyahu, however, emphasized that in the future his country would have to have security control over “all territories west of the Jordan” – which contradicts the idea of Palestinian sovereignty.
Thousands of Israelis protest against Netanyahu
Meanwhile, thousands of Israelis demonstrated against Netanyahu's government on Saturday. In the coastal metropolis of Tel Aviv, participants in a rally demanded an immediate end to the Gaza war in order to free more than 100 hostages held by Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip. “Stop fighting, pay the price!” said one of the speakers, whose cousin is among the hostages, according to Israeli media.
After an initial exchange of 105 hostages for 240 Palestinian prisoners in late November, Hamas only wants to release the others it kidnapped when the Israeli military withdraws from the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu and his colleagues, however, claim that only the military defeat of Hamas can lead to the release of those kidnapped.
Almost no options for Israel
However, there are more and more active and former high-ranking members of the army, some of whom openly say that Israel has no other option if it wants to get the hostages out alive. Many military experts also point out that Israel would have to conquer the border area with Egypt, including the densely populated city of Rafakh, in order to significantly weaken Hamas. This is in fact impossible due to the associated consequences for the civilian population, but also due to Egypt's resistance. Many in Israel therefore assume that Netanyahu is simply delaying the end of the war to remain in power.
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Two-state solution possible with Netanyahu
In the northern port city of Haifa, several hundred supporters of the leftist Chadash party demanded the resignation of the head of government on Saturday. Several hundred people also took to the streets in Jerusalem against Netanyahu's government.
Relatives of the hostages and supporters had already started a prolonged protest on Friday night in front of Netanyahu's home, in the coastal city of Caesarea, 50 kilometers north of Tel Aviv. “We hope that serious people (…) will appear and give us real answers about how our loved ones are doing,” said Haaretz (online edition), citing a hostage relative.
War after Hamas attack
The war in the Gaza Strip was triggered by Hamas' unprecedented major attack on October 7. At that time, fighters from the Palestinian Islamic organization, classified as a terrorist organization by the US and the EU, attacked Israel and killed around 1,140 people and kidnapped around 250 people hostage to the Gaza Strip.
In response to the attack, Israel declared war on Hamas and launched a major military operation in the Gaza Strip. According to the latest figures from the Hamas Health Ministry, which cannot be independently verified, more than 24,900 people have been killed there since then.