How New UN Secretary-General Plans to Pressure Israel

"The new secretary-general of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres... plans to be personally involved in ... achieving a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine...

The secretary-general intends to report to the Security Council in three months on Israeli compliance with Resolution 2334... Guterres had instructed UN personnel in the West Bank to thoroughly inspect and report the Israeli building of settlement housing in contradiction to the Security Council resolution...

According to [a] UN source, Guterres has five measures in mind to advance a two-state solution:

• UN reporting on Israel's settlement activities in relation to Security Council Resolution 2334.

• Increased UN assistance to the Palestinian Authority through the international donor mechanism and the UN specialized agencies.

• Cooperation with the French and the other four members of the Security Council to make the two Paris conferences (June 3, 2016, and Jan. 15, 2017) a basis for a sustainable international two-state solution process.

• Dialogue with the five Security Council heads on a two-state solution process based on all Security Council resolutions.

• Establishing a P5+1 (five UN Security Council permanent members, plus Germany) framework for an Israeli-Palestinian two-state solution process (in addition to the P5+1 group on the Iran deal)...

A senior Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs official dealing with the UN told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that given the record of the UN on Israel, and especially the latest Security Council resolution, Israel will refuse to work with the UN on any issue related to the Palestinians, except for special arrangements in the Gaza Strip. 'Israel will have a one-track foreign policy, in coordination mainly with the new Trump administration,' he said..."