United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon confirmed his earlier position that he supports the creation of a Palestinian state that "should have existed a long time ago."
The Palestinians are preparing to request admission to the United Nations within the borders of their 1967 state.
"The vision of two states that would allow Israel and the Palestinians to live side by side in peace and security is correct and I fully support it," Ban Ki-moon told reporters during a visit to Australia.
"I support the aspiration of the Palestinians to get the state of Palestine, independent and sovereign. It should have existed a long time ago," he said.
These words were spoken as the Palestinians prepare to demand recognition of their state at the UN General Assembly in September, which is strongly opposed by Israel and the US, and European countries are divided over the issue.
The United States has announced that it will veto any move by the Palestinians in the Security Council, saying that the issue of a Palestinian state can be resolved "only through negotiations."
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