A common call: Reforming the UN Security Council
Many leaders speaking at the UNGA have demanded reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). But what is the UNSC, exactly?
The Security Council is the UN body primarily responsible for maintaining international peace and security. The full council was initially composed of 11 members, expanding to 15 in 1965.
These include the permanent five and 10 non-permanent members. The UNSC determines the existence of a threat to civic peace or an act of aggression. It also calls upon the parties to a dispute to settle it by peaceful means. It can resort to imposing sanctions or authorise the use of force to maintain or restore international peace and security.
The United Nations itself grew out of World War II. And the “Big Five” members of the victorious allied coalition – the United States, Soviet Union, China, the United Kingdom and France – became permanent members of the UNSC.
Each UNSC member country gets one vote. But all the permanent members – the so-called P5 – have the power to veto any council decision.
UNRWA boss asks UN General Assembly to protect Gaza children
The head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) urged the UN General Assembly to contemplate what Israel’s devastating war means for the future of children from Gaza.
Philippe Lazzarini noted there are nearly 625,000 “deeply traumatised girls and boys” out of school and “living in the rubble in Gaza”.
“We cannot afford to lose an entire generation and sow the seeds for future hatred and extremism … It is our collective responsibility and moral imperative to do everything possible to protect children’s rights and future,” said Lazzarini.
https://x.com/UNLazzarini/status/1838611346117792141
Israeli attacks on Gaza, Lebanon dominate first day of UNGA
What we’ve seen so far is something very clear and that’s real urgency in all of the speeches that we have heard.
Urgency about the issues that are facing the world right now, particularly the urgency of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and Israel’s continued bombardment of the Gaza Strip. But now also something that perhaps a week ago world leaders weren’t expecting, but they are forced to talk about now. And that’s Israel’s attacks on Lebanon.
In all of the speeches, we have heard repeated calls for de-escalation and really calling out Israel in many cases by many world leaders to do their part to stop this conflict.
Biden ‘stuck in the Cold War’: Al Jazeera political analyst
Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst, has called US President Joe Biden’s speech at the UN General Assembly “a missed opportunity”.
“The US president laid out the vision for the way to move forward, but he seems to be stuck in the Cold War mindset, speaking again and inciting against Russia like it was the Soviet Union, and against China as if it was the future Soviet Union,” he said.
Citing Biden’s call for the world to come together, Bishara noted that it was the US that has been isolated at the UN Security Council and the General Assembly “when it came to questions of Palestine, Lebanon and other important questions in the Middle East”.
Bishara also referred to how US actions have been fuelling Israel’s war on Gaza and other places in the region.
“What’s important to underline is how much they are helping the escalation towards war, they continue to support Israel militarily unconditionally,” he said.
“And not only that, they keep sending their armadas to the eastern Mediterranean in order to protect Israel as it carries its war crimes in Gaza, West Bank, Lebanon, Syria and elsewhere,” Bishara said, adding that the US “is blindly following in the footsteps” of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is being sought after by the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.
“Netanyahu is leading the area to the brink, to a disaster, and the US is protecting him, shielding him, and arming him to carry his war crimes,” Bishara said.
Here's an idea, stop bombing everyone around you.
