Violations of human rights eroding two-state solution: UN chief

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses the 61st session of the UN Human Rights Council at Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Feb. 23, 2026. United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday that human rights, human dignity, and international law are being blatantly violated in areas affected by the Palestine-Israel conflict, and the two-state solution is "being stripped away." (Xinhua/Lian Yi)

GENEVA, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday that human rights, human dignity, and international law are being blatantly violated in areas affected by the Palestine-Israel conflict, and the two-state solution is "being stripped away."

At the 61st session of the UN Human Rights Council, Guterres said that earlier this month, he addressed the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, discussing blatant violations of human rights, human dignity, and international law in areas affected by the Israel-Palestine conflict.

"The current trajectory is stark, clear, and purposeful: the two-state solution is being stripped away in broad daylight. The international community cannot allow this to happen," he said.

He called on all countries to uphold the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and international human rights law, while promoting reforms of the global governance system to ensure that developing countries have "real participation and a meaningful voice" in the international financial architecture.

The 61st session of the UN Human Rights Council opened on Monday in Geneva and is scheduled to conclude on March 31. ■

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses the 61st session of the UN Human Rights Council at Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Feb. 23, 2026. United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday that human rights, human dignity, and international law are being blatantly violated in areas affected by the Palestine-Israel conflict, and the two-state solution is "being stripped away." (Xinhua/Lian Yi)

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses the 61st session of the UN Human Rights Council at Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Feb. 23, 2026. United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday that human rights, human dignity, and international law are being blatantly violated in areas affected by the Palestine-Israel conflict, and the two-state solution is "being stripped away." (Xinhua/Lian Yi)

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses the 61st session of the UN Human Rights Council at Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Feb. 23, 2026. United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday that human rights, human dignity, and international law are being blatantly violated in areas affected by the Palestine-Israel conflict, and the two-state solution is "being stripped away." (Xinhua/Lian Yi)