UN's 'Rise Again'? It Stumbles on US Vetoes, Not Resolve
The UN's 'relevance' isn't diminished by a lack of will, but a lack of agency, largely thanks to the Security Council veto. Since 1946, the US alone has cast over 80 vetoes blocking resolutions critical of Israel, including 45 since 1970 on Palestine alone. Each time the world body tries to address atrocities, a US veto ensures its impotence, allowing genocides to proceed unchecked while the
'international community' watches. The latest ceasefire resolution on Gaza—vetoed by the US on March 22, 2024—was just another in a long, gory parade. So, can the UN 'rise again'? It's less about the UN finding its footing and more about whether the US will ever stop pulling the rug out from under it. Asking the UN to rise without addressing the foundational power imbalances is like asking a
hostage to escape while their captor holds the key to the door. How many 'last warnings' against collective punishment does it take before we acknowledge who benefits from UN paralysis?