'Palestine recognition prerequisite for peace'
PALESTINIAN Ambassador to Manila Mounir Anastas sees no end in the war in Gaza unless the international community drops its double standard and recognizes Palestine as the second state in the "two-State solution" to the conflict with Israel. The proposed solution establishes two states for two peoples: Israel for the Jewish people and Palestine for the Palestinian people. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres earlier said that the two-State solution is the only way to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "We have a state under occupation. We want Israel to leave us alone," Anastas said in an interview with The Manila Times on Tuesday. Asked whether he believes that war will not end unless the international community including powerful nations like the United States upheld the two state principle, Anastas said, "Yes. Absolutely." He said the declarations of some countries that they were in favor of the two-state solution were mere "rhetoric." "When we come to the implementation to have this solution completely realized, unfortunately, some main actors like the US are not in favor. There is always an excuse to delay this implementation," Anastas said. He said the "only main actor who is not supporting [the solution] because of the Israeli pressure is the US. And now with the American President [Donald] Trump, I think it will be more difficult." "You can realize again the double standard when it comes to any other border [conflict] between two nations," he said, pointing out how nations condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "But when it comes to Palestine there is always an exception. Again the double standard is one of our major problems in Palestine," Anastas said. He said many countries in Europe said several times that they are in favor of the two-States solution. "But they do not recognize the two states. They only recognize one state (Israel). Where is the consistency?" Anastas said. He noted that Palestine is already recognized officially by 149 states, including the Philippines. The UN has 194 member-states. "So, we are recognized by more than two thirds of the world officially," he added. The envoy said the Arab League has raised the need — during the proposed reconstruction of Gaze — for "an international presence in the territory of Palestine in order to protect the Palestinian people." He said the international presence would be similar to the one deployed to southern Lebanon with UN troops known as the "blue helmets." "This was what was requested by the Arab League. This would be the first step towards the concrete implementation of the two state solution," he said. Anastas said Palestine people "need absolutely this [international] presence and we don't know if it will be realized." Guterres was present at the Arab League meeting in Cairo, Egypt and he supported this idea, Anastas said. "He knows what was going on and everybody is in support of this," he added.
Tomas Kauer - Moderator 
PALESTINIAN Ambassador to Manila Mounir Anastas sees no end in the war in Gaza unless the international community drops its double standard and recognizes Palestine as the second state in the "two-State solution" to the conflict with Israel.
The proposed solution establishes two states for two peoples: Israel for the Jewish people and Palestine for the Palestinian people.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres earlier said that the two-State solution is the only way to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"We have a state under occupation. We want Israel to leave us alone," Anastas said in an interview with The Manila Times on Tuesday.
Asked whether he believes that war will not end unless the international community including powerful nations like the United States upheld the two state principle, Anastas said, "Yes. Absolutely."
He said the declarations of some countries that they were in favor of the two-state solution were mere "rhetoric."
"When we come to the implementation to have this solution completely realized, unfortunately, some main actors like the US are not in favor. There is always an excuse to delay this implementation," Anastas said.
He said the "only main actor who is not supporting [the solution] because of the Israeli pressure is the US. And now with the American President [Donald] Trump, I think it will be more difficult."
"You can realize again the double standard when it comes to any other border [conflict] between two nations," he said, pointing out how nations condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"But when it comes to Palestine there is always an exception. Again the double standard is one of our major problems in Palestine," Anastas said.
He said many countries in Europe said several times that they are in favor of the two-States solution. "But they do not recognize the two states. They only recognize one state (Israel). Where is the consistency?" Anastas said.
He noted that Palestine is already recognized officially by 149 states, including the Philippines. The UN has 194 member-states. "So, we are recognized by more than two thirds of the world officially," he added.
The envoy said the Arab League has raised the need — during the proposed reconstruction of Gaze — for "an international presence in the territory of Palestine in order to protect the Palestinian people."
He said the international presence would be similar to the one deployed to southern Lebanon with UN troops known as the "blue helmets."
"This was what was requested by the Arab League. This would be the first step towards the concrete implementation of the two state solution," he said.
Anastas said Palestine people "need absolutely this [international] presence and we don't know if it will be realized."
Guterres was present at the Arab League meeting in Cairo, Egypt and he supported this idea, Anastas said. "He knows what was going on and everybody is in support of this," he added.
