Guterres: Israeli Actions in the West Bank Doom the 'Two-State' Solution

As the UN Secretary-General warns about Israeli actions in the West Bank, the United States announces visa restrictions for Israelis who threaten 'peace, security, and stability' in the occupied region. Antonio Guterres stated on Wednesday, July 18, that Israel's policies in the West Bank are dooming any prospects for peace with the Palestinians based on a two-state solution. The U.S. State Department also announced that one of the individuals facing U.S. visa restrictions is Elor Azaria, a former Israeli army sergeant accused of human rights violations in the West Bank. This accusation stems from committing 'extrajudicial killing,' and he and his immediate family members are barred from entering the U.S. The U.S. State Department's statement indicated that similar restrictions are being considered for a group of Israelis who have 'significantly contributed to undermining peace, security, and stability in the West Bank.' The European Union also sanctioned five Israeli far-right activists and three groups operating in the West Bank on July 16 for their involvement in violence against Palestinians and obstructing aid to Gaza. According to a representative from Human Rights Watch, since early last year, there has been an increase in the detention of Palestinians and Israeli attacks in the occupied West Bank, which has intensified following Hamas's attack on Israeli territory on October 6. Guterres, in a statement read by his office's chief at a UN Security Council meeting, said that Israel is changing the geography of the West Bank through administrative and judicial actions. He added that due to the extensive confiscation of Palestinian lands in strategic locations and recent Israeli government decisions regarding urban planning, land management, and regional governance, it is expected that Jewish settlements will expand. Guterres remarked, 'These developments are like driving a dagger into the heart of prospects for a two-state solution.' He further noted that Israel is adding a larger portion of the West Bank to its territory, intensifying punitive measures against the Palestinian Authority, and has legalized five clusters of settlements in these areas. Israeli military and security control over the occupied West Bank began after its victory in the 1967 war, and shortly thereafter, the construction and development of Jewish settlements commenced, continuing uninterrupted to this day. Guterres added in another part of his statement on Wednesday, 'We must change this trend. Settlement development must stop immediately. These settlements are a gross violation of international law and one of the serious obstacles to peace with the Palestinians.' The UN Secretary-General also reiterated the necessity for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages, stating, 'The humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip is a moral stain for all of us.' The war in the Gaza Strip began as a response by Israel to Hamas's attack and other Palestinian militant groups on the southern part of the country on October 6. Hamas is recognized as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and Europe, and according to official Israeli statistics, during the attack on October 6, 1,195 people were killed in Israel, most of whom were civilians, and 251 were taken hostage. There are still 116 hostages held by Hamas, and the Israeli army claims that 42 of them have been killed. On the other hand, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which is controlled by Hamas, at least 38,794 people have been confirmed killed in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip over the past nine months, most of whom were civilians.