Global Courant
INTERPRETER
The UN chief is at a center of diplomatic tensions with Israel, but all sides have criticized the global body’s struggle in the ongoing conflict.
Israel and the United Nations are locked in a bitter row after UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Tuesday evening that the October 7 Hamas attacks “did not take place in a vacuum”.
Guterres’ comments at a UN Security Council meeting sparked outrage from Israel, whose ambassador Gilad Erdan asked the UN chief to resign and accused Guterres of justifying terrorism. Israel has since said it will deny visas to UN officials.
Condemning the Hamas attacks, Guterres added: “The Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation.”
So what has been the UN’s role in the war that broke out on October 7? Here’s a snapshot:
Diplomatic:
Tuesday’s Security Council meeting was not the first time Guterres has demanded a ceasefire in the region. On October 7, Guterres condemned the Hamas attacks. He expressed concern for civilians and urged that all diplomatic efforts be made to prevent an escalation of violence. He reiterated this on October 9, calling for breaking “the vicious circle of bloodshed, hatred and polarization.” He further urged both sides and other concerned agencies on October 11 to prevent further fires. He also called for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. He reiterated his call for the release of hostages and additionally requested Israel to allow humanitarian aid access to the Gaza Strip on October 15, adding that these actions should not become a bargaining chip. On October 18, following the bombing of Gaza’s al-Ahli hospital, Guterres called for an immediate ceasefire in the region, condemning the collective punishment of Palestinians. On October 20, the UN chief visited the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. Tuesday was the fourth meeting of the UN Security Council, where fifteen ambassadors from countries met to discuss the violence that escalated from October 7. Two resolutions proposed during these four meetings failed: the first was proposed by Russia, which did not receive enough votes. while the second, drafted by Brazil, was vetoed by the US.
Refuge
Thousands of Gaza residents have fled their homes and taken refuge in 64 schools run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Because of their ties to the UN, these schools were considered safe havens. However, schools are no longer safe. According to UNRWA, at least several schools in Gaza have suffered damage from Israeli bombing.
Staff
The UN World Health Organization has been involved in bringing medical supplies into the besieged Gaza Strip through the Rafah border. But the aid coming into Gaza is not enough for residents, experts say, and has faced delays since Israel inspected the area. The aid does not include fuel and the fuel shortage is particularly alarming because it threatens the functioning of Gaza’s hospitals and UNRWA. Guterres has called the aid “a drop of help in an ocean of need.”
International right
Guterres has repeatedly said that international humanitarian law was violated in the war between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas. These statements have been repeated by several world leaders. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that while every country has the right to self-defense, it must adhere to international law and protect citizens. Chilean President Gabriel Boric reiterated this as he condemned the Hamas attack. In a statement, Venezuela said the conflict is the result of the Palestinian people’s failure to find their place in international law and urged the UN to fulfill its role as guarantor of international peace. The UN has not yet come up with a comprehensive way to enforce international humanitarian law and has a poor track record of success. There is also a history of the US blocking UN resolutions critical of Israel through its veto.
