According to Xinhua News Agency, UN Secretary-General António Guterres sent a letter to the President of the Security Council in accordance with Article 99 of the UN Charter, calling on all countries to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and avoid further escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The letter is considered one of the most important statements made by the United Nations since the outbreak of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
However, the Security Council has long been heeded by the UN Secretary-General's appeal, but has been unable to reach a consensus in many discussions. This raises concerns about the powers of the UN Secretary-General and the role of the UN. Indeed, the core mission of the United Nations is not to govern the world, but to provide a platform for States to deal with and communicate international disputes. The UN Secretary-General is the general manager of the platform, he has no real power and cannot participate in voting decisions, and his responsibility is to preside over the meeting and maintain order.
However, the United Nations remains very important for many small countries, as it provides them with a channel to speak out for their interests and to seek mediation and assistance. Although the Secretary-General does not have a direct influence on decision-making, he can still play a role through, for example, coordination and mediation.
After the outbreak of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Guterres tried to solve the problem in a transparent way, but he felt powerless because of Israel's backing. In his speech on 24 October, he noted that Hamas did not strike out of thin air, but was surrounded by Israel. This sparked mixed voices, with some arguing that Guterres should apologize and resign, while others supported his remarks.
Despite the fact that Guterres' call was supported by many international bodies and sparked much discussion about Israel's behavior, Israel continues to indiscriminately bombard Gaza, killing and injuring a large number of women and children. The United Nations has repeatedly stated that there is no safe zone in the Gaza Strip, and WHO has been warned to remove medical supplies. Israel, for its part, flaunts its actions in the ratio of Hamas members to civilians.
Guterres' call and action, supported by a number of international organizations, shows that the international community's tolerance for Israel's actions has reached its limit. It is not yet known whether Guterres will resign as secretary-general, and whether the leaders of international institutions will resign en masse. But it is foreseeable that Israel's representative, Erdan, will certainly demonstrate his usual "mad dog diplomacy" and continue to attack Guterres' moral level.
To sum up, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has had a major impact on the United Nations and the international community. UN Secretary-General António Guterres' appeal has attracted widespread attention and debate internationally. Whatever the final outcome, this conflict will have far-reaching implications for peace and development in Palestine and Israel, as well as in the Middle East as a whole. In response to this incident, we need to think deeply about how to resolve conflicts in an equal and just manner in the international community and contribute to global peace and stability.