UN chief calls on Israel, Palestine to engage in dialogue

UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged the leaders of Israel and Palestine to engage in constructive dialogue.

“I urge the leaders of Israel and Palestine to engage in a constructive dialogue with the support of the international community”, – Guterres said at a meeting of the UNSC.

In late May, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the date of annexation of some territories of the West Bank within the “deal of the century.” According to Netanyahu, the extension of Israeli sovereignty in the Jewish settlements of the West Bank will occur on July 1, and there is no intention to change this date. Later, Minister of Water Resources and Higher Education Zeev Elkin said in an interview with the local press that the time of the annexation could be shifted by several days or weeks.

The Israeli authorities began taking concrete steps towards the annexation. Replacement Prime Minister Beni Ganz instructed the Chief of General Staff to expedite preparations for the army connected with the extension of Israeli sovereignty over parts of the West Bank.