UN SOP: The Security Council does not work – DN.se
Grandi visits Sweden when a decade as a high commissioner for the refugee body UNHCR is nearing its end. He wants to say thank you, but perhaps above all « please – go on ».
The 68-year-old veteran diplomat feels a great concern when country after country takes back from the international community and the legal system. More people are being fled in increasingly brutal conflicts where less and less account is taken of humanitarian law, he warns.
– I feel that the foundation is weaker than it did when I started, says Grandi.
– To claim responsibility for violations of human rights is very difficult to maintain as it immediately overlaps with politics. But if that does not happen, the whole system will weaken more and more.
Much of this is set At the forefront of the furious Gaza war: a huge civilian suffering, lots of war crimes and an inability to the outside world to intervene.
Filippo Grandi has worked in the region for a long time, when he previously led the special UN body responsible for the work with Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). He emphasizes that Hama’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 and its hostage are clear crimes.
– But the answer, to completely destroy an entire society and entire cities, is unacceptable and constitutes a violation of international law. It is a very big example today on what I am referring to.
During the war, Israel has kicked out Unrwa from Gaza. An extinct Israeli-American initiative that has stepped into the UN place has clearly shown that it cannot provide the necessary help and also exposes people to danger, according to Filippo Grandi.
What does the UN have for left to play? In the first place, be prepared to move in and when a ceasefire comes about, according to Grandi.
– Although we get a ceasefire, and this hell on earth finally comes to an end, a proper peace process is required. If you do not resume the discussion about a two -state solution, you can have ceasefires that last for days, weeks or months. It will only restart, says the Italian, adding that what is happening will have incomprehensible consequences even for the state of Israel.
It is not just about Gaza, emphasizes the refugee commissioner. He mentions Ukraine, Sudan, Congo-Kinshasa, Yemen, Myanmar and more conflicts where the outside world is unable to put down a foot. And it is about the laws of war, humanitarian law, human rights and asylum law – principles on which the UN has been built.
It is the Security Council who understands sharp decisions. There, the invasion power sits Russia with veto rights, as well as the United States, which has repeatedly stopped claims for a ceasefire in Gaza.
– It has become a fairly dysfunctional organ, says Grandi.
– The department is no stronger than its Member States. This is where the erosion takes place and this is there that the UN’s reputation as a system for international coexistence fals.
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