UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- Palestine said here Monday there were "diminished hopes" in the peace process with Israel to translate the two-state solution into reality, and urged the international community to act to help reach the goal.

Riyad Mansour, the permanent Palestinian observer to the United Nations, made the statement as he was taking the floor at an open meeting of the UN Security Council on the current situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

"The political process has remained deadlocked and the situation on the ground has sharply deteriorated," Mansour said. " Israel's flagrant flouting of the law has obstructed the resumption of peace negotiations and intensified hardships for the Palestinian people in all aspects of life."

The two-state solution, widely supported by the international community, means a secure Israel to live in peace with an independent State of Palestine.

The direct peace talks between the Palestinians and Israelis were stalled in September 2010 due to Israel's settlement activities in the occupied territory.

The Palestinian ambassador called Israel's actions a "grave breach of international humanitarian law," noting that "Israel has not only continued, but intensified, its expansionist, colonial drive."

"We reject all such illegal Israeli measures in the Holy City and demand their immediate cessation, reaffirming once again that East Jerusalem is an integral part of the Palestinian land occupied since June 1967 and is the heart and capital of the State of Palestine," said Mansour.

Mansour was firm in his urgent demand for international action, saying "We remain adherent to our conviction that action by the international community is imperative for averting the deepening of this crisis."