We know that resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains key to sustainable peace in the Middle East. Its persistence reverberates far beyond Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory, and it continues to further radicalization across the region. That is why we have been repeatedly raising alerts about actions that would erode the possibility of a viable and contiguous Palestinian State based on the two-State solution and that are contrary to international law and United Nations resolutions. This includes expansion and acceleration of illegal settlement activities in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as well as ongoing demolitions and seizures of Palestinian-owned property and evictions."We know"? Syria's civil war, Yemen, Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan would all be peaceful if Palestinians accepted the Clinton parameters? Iran's threats and Hezbollah wouldn't exist if there was a Palestinian state?
And of course, only Israel is guilty in the UN's eyes. Not a word about Palestinian terrorism, about Hamas or Islamic Jihad or Fatah's own Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, nothing about rockets or balloon bombs.
The Middle East is very different than it was during Oslo, and Israel has better relations with the larger Arab and Muslim world than ever before. That by itself shows Guterres' assumption to be false. There are fewer terror attacks in Israel now than there was during the heady days of the 90s. But the "experts" have learned no lessons since then.
Why do these people believe something that is so obviously false? Because Palestinians keep saying it - as a veiled threat in order to get the world to pressure Israel to make more concessions.
(h/t Irene)