UK says two-state solution only path to lasting peace and security

The United Kingdom has reaffirmed that a two-state solution is the only path to achieving lasting peace and security, ensuring the establishment of a sovereign and viable Palestinian state that includes Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem.

Speaking at a UN Security Council session on Palestine, UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Sarah MacIntosh, called for the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 2803. This includes upholding the ceasefire, fulfilling commitments to disarmament in Gaza, the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces according to the peace plan, and transferring the administration and security responsibilities of the Gaza Strip to the Palestinian Authority. She also urged Israeli authorities to lift restrictions on aid and ensure its safe, sustainable, and unhindered delivery throughout the territory.

The United Kingdom condemned the escalation of violence in the West Bank, including attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinian villages and communities. The UK stressed the need to halt settlement expansion, reiterating that settlements are illegal under international law and undermine prospects for a two-state solution.

The UK also condemned the Israeli government's approval of 104 settlements over the past four years, allocation of funding for new settlements, and threats to expand both settlements and illegal outposts. The UK voiced its opposition to the revival of the E1 settlement plan, which would divide the West Bank in two.