Tag Archives: solution

Two-State solution nearing point of no return, warns UN chief

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Addressing a Security Council debate on Tuesday, António Guterres said the Middle East stands at a critical crossroads.

“The promise of a two-State solution is at risk of vanishing altogether,” he said. “Political will to achieve that goal feels more distant than ever.”

He stressed that this erosion undermines the rights of both Palestinians and Israelis to live in peace and security, while denying Palestinians their legitimate national aspirations.

Gaza crisis ‘beyond imagination’

Mr. Guterres expressed deep concern over the worsening crisis in Gaza, where nearly 2,000 Palestinians have been killed since the March ceasefire collapsed.

He condemned the ongoing blockade of aid – including food, fuel and medicine – which has pushed over two million people into a humanitarian emergency he called “beyond imagination.”

“I am alarmed by statements from Israeli officials suggesting aid is being used as leverage for military gain,” he said. “Aid is not a bargaining chip. It is non-negotiable.”

He renewed calls for an immediate and lasting ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages, and full humanitarian access. He also underscored the need to uphold international law, protect UN personnel and facilities, and ensure accountability for attacks on aid workers.

Tensions in the West Bank

Turning to the West Bank including East Jerusalem, the Secretary-General described a worsening situation marked by Palestinian displacement, home demolitions, restricted movement and expanding Israeli settlements that are reshaping the territory in violation of international law.

“Palestinians are being contained and coerced,” he said – contained in areas under growing military pressure and coerced out of others where settlements are expanding.

Settler violence continues to rise amid impunity, while Palestinian attacks on Israelis also persist in both Israel and the occupied West Bank.

Secretary-General Guterres briefs the Security Council.

A pivotal moment for peace

With the region in turmoil, Mr. Guterres urged countries to move beyond statements and outline specific steps to revive the two-State solution.

“This is not a time for box-ticking,” he said. “The clock is ticking – and time is running out.”

He called on the international community to prevent a future of endless occupation and violence through sustained and serious action.

Leaders must deliver

The Secretary-General highlighted the upcoming high-level conference co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia as a key chance to reenergise international support.

“I urge Member States to go beyond declarations and consider concrete steps to save the two-State solution – before it disappears altogether,” he said.

“At this hinge point in history, leaders must show courage, act with resolve, and deliver peace for Palestinians, Israelis, the region, and the world.”

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Deny teenagers any screen, they’ll soon go to sleep: Study

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Sleep in teenagers can be improved by just one week of limiting their evening exposure to light-emitting screens on phones, tablets and computers, said a study whose findings will be presented in Lyon, at the European Society of Endocrinology annual meeting, ECE 2019.

The study indicates that by simply limiting their exposure to blue-light emitting devices in the evening, adolescents can improve their sleep quality and reduce symptoms of fatigue, lack of concentration and bad mood, after just one week.

Recent studies have indicated that exposure to too much evening light, particularly the blue light emitted from screens on smartphones, tablets and computers can affect the brain’s clock and the production of the sleep hormone melatonin, resulting in disrupted sleep time and quality.

The lack of sleep doesn’t just cause immediate symptoms of tiredness and poor concentration but can also increase the risk of more serious long-term health issues such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Other studies have suggested that sleep deprivation related to screen time may affect children and adolescents more than adults, but no studies have fully investigated how real-life exposure is affecting sleep in adolescents at home and whether it can be reversed.

In this collaborative study between the Netherlands Institute of Neuroscience, the Amsterdam UMC and the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, researchers investigated the effects of blue light exposure on adolescents at home. Those who had more than 4 hours per day of screen time had on average 30 minutes later sleep onset and wake up times than those who recorded less than 1 hour per day of screen time, as well as more symptoms of sleep loss.

The team conducted a randomised controlled trial to assess the effects of blocking blue light with glasses and no screen time during the evening on the sleep pattern of 25 frequent users. Both blocking blue light with glasses and screen abstinence resulted in sleep onset and wake up times occurring 20 minutes earlier, and a reduction in reported symptoms of sleep loss in participants, after just one week.

Dr Dirk Jan Stenvers from the department of Endocrinology and Metabolism of the Amsterdam UMC says, “Adolescents increasingly spend more time on devices with screens and sleep complaints are frequent in this age group. Here we show very simply that these sleep complaints can be easily reversed by minimising evening screen use or exposure to blue light. Based on our data, it is likely that adolescent sleep complaints and delayed sleep onset are at least partly mediated by blue light from screens”

Dr Stenvers and his colleagues are now interested in whether the relationship between reduced screen time and improved sleep has longer lasting effects, and whether the same effects can be detected in adults.

Dr Stenvers comments, “Sleep disturbances start with minor symptoms of tiredness and poor concentration but in the long-term we know that sleep loss is associated with increased risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease. If we can introduce simple measures now to tackle this issue, we can avoid greater health problems in years to come.”