The Secretary-General met today with H.E. Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of the State of Israel.

They discussed the situation in Gaza. The Secretary-General underscored that a return to the status quo ante was not an option and stressed the urgent need to address the underlying causes of the crisis, including the need to lift the closure of Gaza and also to meet Israel’s legitimate security concerns. He welcomed the tripartite agreement between the Government of Israel, the Palestinian Authority and the United Nations on the secure entry of reconstruction materials into Gaza and hoped for its swift implementation. The Secretary-General expressed deep concern at continued settlement activity and reiterated that a political horizon must be restored without further delay.

The two leaders also discussed the regional situation, including developments in the areas of operations of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).