The United Nations, at times, seems to be a body with no backbone. It was conceived in a fit of post-war idealism, when egos were humbled and hatred briefly stemmed.
However, since its establishment, the UN has been hostage to the political intrigues and power blocs. Of particular concern was the body’s pursuit of international law protocols — formulation, drafting and implementation.
A central feature of this are resolutions passed by various bodies, the most significant being by the UN Security Council. Such measures are followed by nation states when convenient, ignored when not.
One such nation state in the mischief-making class is Israel. Its relationship with the UN has often been tetchy.
The Anti-Defamation League, for instance, admits that the body “played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Jewish State by passing UN Resolution 181 in 1947”. The resolution called for “the partition of British Mandate Palestine into two states, one Jewish and one Arab”.
The same organisation, however, goes on to note, with satisfaction, the remarks in April 2007 by then UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon: “Unfortunately, because of the [Israeli-Palestinian] conflict, Israel’s been weighed down by criticism and suffered from bias — and sometimes even discrimination.”
For various periods of its history, Israel has felt hard done by in the international forum.
The folder of resolutions against it has grown. Notable ones include UNSC Resolution 242 (1967) which asserts, in accordance with the UN Charter principles, that a “just and lasting peace in the Middle East” includes the withdrawal of Israel’s armed forces from territories occupied during the Six Day War and the termination of territorial claims and affirmation of sovereignty of all States in the area.
UNSC Resolution 338 (1973), passed in response to the Yom Kippur War between Israel, Egypt and Syria, called on the parties to cease hostilities within 12 hours and implement Resolution 242 “in all its parts”.
UN Resolution 2334, passed in December 2016, struck at the expansionist, drive of the Jewish state through settlements in Occupied Territory that amount to de facto colonisation.
It condemned “all measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character and status of the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem”. This included, among other matters, the expansion of the settlements, the transfer of Israeli settlers, the confiscation of land and the displacement of Palestinian civilians.
Instead of seeing such a measure as a clear assessment of predation in breach of international law and the principles of the UN Charter, Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, described it as an unnecessary reward to the Palestinians “to continue down a dangerous path they have chosen” in avoiding direct negotiations with Israel.
That Israel cared not a jot on that score hardly mattered.
A number of recent incidents reveal Israel’s poor regard of the UN.
Its agency aiding Palestinians, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is threatened by two bills before the Israeli parliament that will significantly hamper its operations by evicting the body from its premise in territories within Israel’s control. The proposed laws will also abolish any associated privileges and immunities.
Having failed to convince all major donors to UNWRA that it should be defunded for being packed with Hamas apologists (the evidence being paltry), the Israeli government is using a legal sledgehammer, fashioned by the Knesset.
The passage of the bills, warned UN Secretary-General António Guterres, “would effectively end coordination to protect UN convoys, offices and shelters serving hundreds of thousands of people”.
The provision of shelter, food and healthcare “would grind to a halt” without the agency. Some 600,000 children “would lose the only entity that is able to re-start education, risking the fate of an entire generation”.
With Israel’s broadening campaign against Hezbollah to the north, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) is facing continuous harassment by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
Established in 1978 by the Security Council to confirm the withdrawal of Israel from Lebanon and aid Lebanese authorities restore peace and security in the area, UNIFIL has been a source of endless irritation to the IDF.
UNIFIL revealed on October 13 that two IDF Merkava tanks, at 4.30am, had gone destroyed the main gate of their post in Ramyah, near the Israeli border.
The tanks forcibly entered, after which Israeli personnel demanded that the base turn out its lights. “The tanks left about 45 minutes later after UNIFIL protested through our liaison mechanism, saying that IDF presence was putting peacekeepers in danger.”
At 6.40am, peacekeepers at the same post reported the firing of several smoke emitting rounds 100 metres to the north. “Despite putting on protective masks, fifteen peacekeepers suffered effects, including skin irritation and gastrointestinal reactions, after the smoke entered the camp.”
On October 14, the IDF halted “a critical UNIFIL logistical movement near Meiss ej Jebel, denying it passage. The critical movement could not be completed.”
UNIFIL reminded the IDF about its obligations to ensure the safety and security of the UN peacekeepers and property. Breaching a UN position violated UN Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006), while any deliberate attack on peacekeepers was a serious violation of international humanitarian law, in addition to breaching Resolution 1701.
In an almost disdainful manner, the IDF suggested that the peacekeepers had entirely misunderstood the brutal encroachment.
The actions had been motivated by goodwill to evacuate soldiers wounded by an anti-tank missile. “For the sake of evacuating the wounded, two tanks drove backwards, in a place where they could not advance otherwise in light of the threat of shooting, a few metres towards the UNIFIL position.”
The smokescreen had been created to aid the evacuation, while the entire operation was conducted throughout with continuous contact with the UN peacekeepers.
After a time, the dressing of lies becomes tatty and banal.
Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu suggested UNIFIL must immediately withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon. “It is time for you,” stated the PM in a pointed message to Guterres, “to withdraw UNIFIL from Hezbollah strongholds and from the areas of combat.”
Yet again, international law which, in this case, provides legitimacy to the UN peacekeeping operations in the area, could be treated as a tissue easily torn.
[Binoy Kampmark currently lectures at RMIT University.]