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GAZA WAR AND THE PARALYSIS OF THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL

Source: Arab News

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MAHA AKEEL
January 12, 2024
Maha Akeel is a Saudi expert in communications, social development, and international
relations. She is a member of the UN’s Senior Women Talent Pipeline.

Introduction
In a TV interview during the UN General Assembly last September, Secretary-General Antonio
Guterres said power, especially at the Security Council, was not in his hands but in those of the
member states. What he had was a voice, and convening power. At that time, the war in Ukraine
was the center of attention, and he commented on his inability to intervene to stop it. He
described the situation at the Security Council as a “paralysis of political decision”: the
geopolitical divide had paralyzed the ability to take action.
Security Council's Failure and Paralysis in Crisis Response
This wasn’t the first time the Security Council had failed to act to protect civilians and prevent
wars and atrocities, but the war in Gaza that erupted a few weeks later has made that paralysis
more severe and glaringly obvious. It clearly demonstrated that the Security Council was not living
up to its primary responsibility, which is to maintain international peace and security. Member
states individually have the power, particularly the permanent five, but they intervene only when
it is in their interests, regardless of the killing, mayhem and suffering of the innocent. This raises
the question, what is the purpose of the Security Council?

Inefficiency of UN Humanitarian Sector in Gaza Crisis

At the time of his interview, Guterres was proud of the work of the UN’s humanitarian sector. In
Gaza, even that has been inefficient and inadequate because of Israel’s refusal to allow
humanitarian aid into the enclave, which had already been under Israeli blockade for 16 years.
Even UN staff and facilities have been targeted, resulting in the deaths in just a few months of
more UN personnel, not to mention journalists, than in any other conflict. Meanwhile,

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Palestinians in Gaza are being killed, forcibly evicted, displaced and left to suffer homelessness,
starvation, thirst, disease, and now the cold weather as the whole enclave has been reduced to
rubble and rendered uninhabitable — all in the eyes and ears of the world, including the Security
Council.

Disillusionment with the International System

For many who had some hope or belief in the international system, the disappointment and
disillusion are great. The already weak, disenfranchised and powerless now feel helpless and
abandoned. However, there are still means to stop this vengeful, ferocious, inhumane aggression
on Gaza and bringing the perpetrators to justice. South Africa has filed an application at the
International Court of Justice in The Hague accusing Israel of breaching the 1948 Genocide
Convention.

International Court of Justice's Role and Expectations

After two days of hearings, the world now waits to see how much power the court actually has.
In its request, South Africa asked for provisional measures to “protect against further, severe and
irreparable harm to the rights of the Palestinian people under the Genocide Convention” and
“ensure Israel’s compliance with its obligations under the Genocide Convention not to engage in
genocide, and to prevent and to punish genocide.” Will politics and power influence how the case
moves forward? What are the expectations? Who will stand with which side? And who will
enforce any ruling made by the court?

Revelations from the Gaza War: Double Standards and Influence of Power
The Gaza war has revealed many things: the double standards of the West, the hypocrisy, the
dominance, and the hegemony. Human rights and international law seem to apply only to certain
peoples. Western countries, especially the US, have lost much of their credibility and moral
leadership. Perhaps one of the main revelations of this war has been how much power and
influence the Israeli lobby has on US politics and society.

Rise of Armed Non-State Actors and Implications for Peace and Security
Any country lucky enough to be in the orbit of protection of one of the five permanent members
of the Security Council is assured of immunity from prosecution and the freedom to act with
impunity. Otherwise, it can expect to be held accountable and responsible for violating
international laws and obligations. Perhaps this is why armed non-state actors are finding more

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space to act, with diplomatic and peaceful means blocked. They are taking charge, disrupting and
challenging the status quo. This is not a good sign for peace and security.

Call for Reform: Outdated State of Affairs at the Security Council

In his TV interview, Guterres expressed frustration at the high level of division and unpredictability
among the Security Council members, which undermined trust in the UN’s peacemaking and
peacekeeping efforts. The outdated and dysfunctional state of affairs at the Security Council puts
the whole world at risk of increasing violence and humanitarian suffering as people become more
vulnerable to crises and disasters. It is absolutely time to reform the council’s structure, privileges,
and role. Leaving things as they are will not be conducive to peace and security, as more actors
emerge with the means of disrupting and challenging the dominance and hegemony of those in
power, creating new possibilities, environments, and engagements that may lead to more crises,
war, and suffering.

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