Middle East erupts and the UN watches and ponders: Rome burns and Nero plays the flute

Dr Cyriac Maprayil

It is common knowledge that there is an ongoing active armed conflict between Israel and the Palestinian people. It has already spread to neighbouring countries including Lebanon and Syria. The Israeli government is not ready for a ceasefire that could lead to a possible settlement, obviously, counting on the unconditional support extended by the US.

Away from the Middle East and unconnected with the above conflict, Europe has been witnessing and to a significant extent participating in another ongoing active armed conflict between Ukraine and Russia, the former being comprehensively supported by NATO as well as the major countries of the European Union. Ukraine appears reluctant if not unwilling to settle the conflict with Russia until and unless Russia that initiated it is defeated.

These two conflicts are disastrously polarising the world into two rival groups and it is difficult not to see the obvious symptoms of an impending global war.

It was in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War that the Allied forces including the Soviet Union which fought and defeated Germany came together (Yalta and Potsdam Conferences) and gradually established a framework – The United Nations – within which disputes between nations can be discussed and resolved peacefully, avoiding wars.

Although too many conflicts, both large and small, have taken place since the conclusion of the Second World War, the UN organs of preserving peace have managed to handle them.

If the two major current conflicts detailed above are not resolved without further delay the world will be dragged into another World War. Since some key members of the Security Council, which has a responsibility to protect the world maintaining and promoting peace and harmony, are finding it impossible to do what is expected of them, the only way forward is left to the General Assembly of the UN presently in session to initiate action under the Uniting for Peace provision.

The UN Summit of the Future (September 21-27) is considered a once-in-a-generation opportunity to enhance cooperation on critical challenges and address gaps in global governance etc. It is hoped that the present structures of the organs of the UN will be adequately reviewed and made effective and functioning making it impossible for the members of the Security Council to join one side or the other in a conflict.

Dr Cyriac Maprayil is a writer and historian whose work focuses on international political relations and South Asian affairs. He is the author of a number of books, including Nehru and The Commonwealth. He is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a regular contributor to the online newspaper Indians Abroad.

The views expressed in the above column is solely that of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of this website or its editor.