UN chief committed to Mideast peace based on pre-1967 borders: Spokesman

 UNITED NATIONS, Jan 29 (APP): United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres remains committed to helping Israel and Palestine broker peace on the basis of U.N. resolutions, international law, bilateral agreements and the vision of two states based on borders in place before the 1967 war when the Jewish state seized the West Bank and Gaza, his spokesman said Tuesday.

“The Secretary-General has seen the announcement of the United States plan for the Middle East,” Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said after the plan was unveiled.

“The position of the United Nations on the two-state solution has been defined, throughout the years, by relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions by which the Secretariat is bound,” he said.

One such U.N. resolution was adopted by the Security Council a month before U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January 2017. The resolution demanded an end to Israeli settlements, with 14 votes in favour and one abstention by former U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration.

“The United Nations remains committed to supporting Palestinians and Israelis to resolve the conflict on the basis of United Nations resolutions, international law and bilateral agreements and realizing the vision of two States – Israel and Palestine – living side by side in peace and security within recognized borders, on the basis of the pre-1967 lines,” he added.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced  the long-awaited political aspect of his controversial Middle East peace plan, calling for a two-state solution while recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s “undivided capital.”