Nikolay Mladenov told the UN Security Council that a negotiated two-state solution is drifting further away. He said what is needed, first and foremost, is the necessary leadership and political will for change.

Until that will can be found, Palestinians and Israelis will continue to slide into increasingly hazardous territory, Mladenov said.  He said Hamas’ continuing control of Gaza, the severe restrictions on movement imposed by Israel, and the Palestinian Authority’s restrictive measures are pushing the situation to a breaking point.

He stressed that  leaders and the international community must be committed to  support Israelis and Palestinians in reaching a peace agreement based on UN resolutions and bilateral agreements.