United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the global community not to be “intimidated” by Israel’s actions in the occupied West Bank, warning against its gradual annexation of the territory.
In an interview at UN headquarters in New York on Friday, ahead of the organization’s high-level week, Guterres said that world leaders must stand firm in support of international law. He emphasized that ongoing attempts to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels are also “at risk of collapsing,” calling for stronger climate commitments.
The annual UN gathering, which will draw more than 140 heads of state and government and bring sections of Manhattan to a halt, is expected to be dominated by discussions on Palestine and the war in Gaza. France has indicated that at least 10 countries are preparing to formally recognize a Palestinian state despite Israel’s objections. Israel, in turn, has threatened to annex the West Bank if recognition efforts move forward.
Guterres dismissed those threats, saying, “We should not feel intimidated by the risk of retaliation. With or without what we are doing, these actions would continue. At least there is a chance to mobilize the international community to put pressure to stop them.”
Turning to Gaza, Guterres described the situation there as “horrendous,” noting that Israel’s latest assault on Gaza City and warnings of “unprecedented force” have pushed humanitarian conditions to their worst point in decades.
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