In Ramallah, UN Chief Reiterates Support for Two-State Mideast Solution

U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said Tuesday that a two-state solution remains the only path to peace for Israel and the Palestinians.

"I want to express very strongly the total commitment of the United Nations and my personal total commitment to the two-state solution," Guterres said after meeting Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah in Ramallah, after having spoken with Israeli leadership the day before.

Guterres also spoke on Israeli settlements in the West Bank Tuesday, calling them a "major obstacle" to peace and noting that they are "illegal under international law".

Earlier Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to never uproot Israeli settlements in the West Bank, enraging Palestinians and raising questions about U.S. peace efforts in the region.

White House adviser Jared Kushner spoke with Netanyahu and Hamdallah days earlier during a visit to Israel and the West Bank.

U.S. President Donald Trump, in the past, has said he hopes to mediate the “ultimate deal” between Israel and the Palestinians. He has espoused staunchly pro-Israel rhetoric during his campaign and presidency, but Palestinian leaders have held out hope a deal could be reached.

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