UN chief warns Middle East risks full return to war

The UN chief stressed that decades of unresolved Israeli‑Palestinian tensions must be addressed through ending the occupation and establishing two states.

UN Secretary‑General António Guterres warned on Wednesday that escalating violence across the Middle East risks triggering a “full resumption of conflict,” urging the Security Council to back a two‑state solution as the only credible path to lasting peace.

Speaking at a high‑level Council debate, Guterres said the region was being “pulled deeper into crisis” with consequences that extend far beyond its borders. “This week has brought wider attacks and further deterioration. I am profoundly concerned it could trigger a full resumption of conflict,” he said.

The UN chief stressed that decades of unresolved Israeli‑Palestinian tensions must be addressed through ending the occupation and establishing two states. “Delay and denial only perpetuate injustice, fueling extremism in the region and further afield,” he added.

Guterres highlighted worsening conditions in Gaza, warning that Israel intends to seize 70 percent of the territory. He called for full implementation of a plan brokered by the United States, Qatar, Egypt, and Türkiye, insisting humanitarian aid “must never be used as a bargaining chip.”

In the West Bank, he cited reports of daily settler violence and cautioned that annexation attempts would have “no legal validity.” He also pointed to fragile situations in Syria and the Persian Gulf, where restrictions on navigation near the Strait of Hormuz are causing global hardship.

The Secretary‑General urged the Council to throw its weight behind diplomacy, saying only a two‑state solution could deliver justice and stability. “I urge this Council to put its full weight behind the two‑state solution, the key to a just and lasting peace in the region,” he concluded.