UN renews call for two-state solution in Middle East conflict

Nov 29, 2011, 19:29 GMT

New York - The United Nations Tuesday urged Israelis and the Palestinians to agree to a two-state solution which would pave the way to end the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories since 1967 and meet legitimate security concerns on both sides.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon made the appeal at the International Day of Solidarity for the Palestinian People at the UN headquarters in New York.

Tuesday also marked the 64th anniversary of a UN resolution in 1948 partitioning the Brish mandate in Palestine into two states - Israel and Palestine. Israel accepted the UN resolution while Arab states at that time rejected it.

Ban called for Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) to show 'courage and determination' to agree to the two-state solution, so Israel and Palestine can live in peace side-by-side.

'Jerusalem must emerge from negotiations as the capital of two states, with arrangements of the holy sites acceptable to all,' Ban said. 'And a just and agreed solution must be found for millions of Palestinian refugee scattered around the region.'

The PA applied for UN membership and statehood recognition in September. But the request was not accepted by the UN Security Council.

Negotiations between Israel and the PA on solving their conflict have also stalled.

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