The 79th regular session of the United Nations General Assembly, held from 10 to 30 September, 2024, unfolded against a backdrop of escalating tensions in the Middle East, with the looming threat of a wider regional conflict. This critical juncture was marked by the ongoing aftermath of Israel's year-long war on the Gaza Strip, coupled with recent Israeli escalations on the Lebanese front and various other conflicts plaguing the region.
These circumstances presented a formidable challenge to international institutions, testing their capacity to address worsening crises and ongoing armed conflicts. Moreover, it highlighted the pressing need to explore opportunities for achieving peace and stability by reinvigorating their role in prohibiting the use of force in international relations—a fundamental principle enshrined in the United Nations Charter since its inception in 1945. However, the apparent failure to fulfill this mandate has raised persistent questions about the effectiveness of these institutions and the justification for their continued existence.
With each new outbreak of conflict across different regions of the world, the debate surrounding the relevance and efficacy of these international bodies intensifies. This recurring issue took center stage during the discussions and deliberations of the recent UN General Assembly session.
The Atmosphere of the Meetings
The 79th regular session of the United Nations General Assembly unfolded against a backdrop of regional escalation in the Middle East. This tense atmosphere significantly impacted the arrangements, conditions, and general ambiance of the UN meetings, as evidenced by the following key points:
1- Elevated level of delegation representation:
The 79th session, particularly the annual general debate held from September 24 to 28, 2024, saw high-level representation from numerous countries embroiled in the ongoing Middle Eastern conflicts. This was notably apparent at the presidential and prime ministerial levels. Leaders from permanent Security Council member states, including the United States, France, and the United Kingdom, were in attendance. Additionally, several Arab and Middle Eastern countries such as Jordan, Qatar, Turkey, and Iran sent their top officials. Key figures directly involved in these conflicts were also present, most prominently Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
2- High Arab and regional participation rate and active involvement:
Arab and regional delegations demonstrated a markedly high participation rate at ministerial and senior governmental levels. This heightened engagement was reflected in numerous events and meetings held on the session's sidelines. These included the ministerial meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement, the annual consultative meeting of the Arab League Council at the foreign ministers' level, and the G20 ministerial meeting. Other significant gatherings encompassed the UN General Assembly's high-level meeting addressing rising sea level threats, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Contact Group on Muslims in Europe meeting, and the annual ministerial meeting of the Group of 77 and China (G77+China). These active engagements served to amplify the presence of Arab issues, particularly those related to ongoing conflicts, in joint discussions with foreign delegations.
3- Highlighting the Palestinian issue:
In a historic first, Palestine's participation was elevated during this session, with the nation holding an official seat alongside member states, albeit in an observer capacity. This development stemmed from a UN General Assembly resolution adopted on May 10, which granted Palestine the right to have its representatives included on the speakers' list for sessions addressing Middle Eastern issues. The resolution also allowed Palestine to present amendments and proposals, though without voting rights. Capitalizing on this enhanced status, two events focusing on the Palestinian issue were scheduled during the UN General Assembly's high-level week. These events addressed education in the occupied Palestinian territories and explored the opportunities and challenges of supporting the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), especially in light of recent Israeli efforts to curtail the agency's operations.
4- Organizing protests on the meetings' sidelines:
The ongoing Middle East conflict, particularly the unprecedented humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip and the escalation on the Lebanese front, catalyzed numerous protests surrounding the UN General Assembly meetings. Dozens of demonstrators rallied against Israel in front of Netanyahu's hotel, while thousands marched through Manhattan, New York, protesting the war in Gaza and Israel's attacks on Lebanon. Additionally, hundreds of protestors demanded a ceasefire agreement and the release of hostages in Gaza. Conversely, others demonstrated against the presence of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian at the General Assembly meetings, calling for immediate action against the Iranian regime.
5- Adoption of the Pact for the Future:
This year's UN General Assembly session marked the launch of the Summit for the Future, during which world leaders adopted the Pact for the Future. This comprehensive international agreement, the most extensive in many years, includes two annexes: the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration for Future Generations. The pact addresses a wide array of critical areas, including the importance of multilateralism, respect for the UN Charter, maintaining peace, reforming international financial institutions and the UN Security Council, combating climate change, disarmament, and the development of artificial intelligence. While the Pact for the Future ambitiously tackles both emerging issues and long-standing challenges that have eluded consensus for decades, its non-binding nature raises questions about its potential for effective implementation.
Messages from Participants
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East took center stage during the UN General Assembly meetings, commanding a substantial portion of the speeches delivered by leaders and officials from both regional and international backgrounds. The key messages emphasized in these addresses can be distilled into the following points
1- Reforming the institutional framework of the international system:
Calls for reform of the United Nations Security Council gained momentum during the recent General Assembly, with support from prominent members such as the United States and France. U.S. President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron both endorsed proposals to reform and expand the Security Council's membership. Macron, in particular, advocated for the inclusion of Germany, Japan, India, and Brazil as permanent members, along with two African countries to represent the continent. He also suggested modifying the Council's working methods, limiting veto power in cases of mass atrocities, and emphasizing operational decisions crucial for maintaining international peace and security.
These proposals resonated with sentiments expressed by various world leaders in their speeches. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, along with leaders from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Iran, and South Africa, all voiced support for reform. Additionally, Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelaty, and Brazilian President Lula da Silva addressed this issue. Lula da Silva notably highlighted the exclusion of Latin America and Africa from permanent seats, describing it as "an unacceptable echo of domination from the colonial past."
In a related development, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas announced his intention to request a freeze on Israel's membership in the General Assembly. Abbas called for this action until Israel fulfills its obligations, meets membership conditions, and implements all United Nations resolutions. This stance received support from Arab foreign ministers during the 162nd session of the Arab League Council, held on the sidelines of the General Assembly meetings. The resulting pan-Arab resolution tasked the Arab group in New York with initiating steps to suspend Israel's participation in UN General Assembly activities.
2- Affirming the authority of UN resolutions as a basis for resolving conflicts:
In their speeches, several leaders addressing the ongoing crises in the Middle East, including the Israeli war on Gaza and the escalation on the Lebanese front, emphasized the importance of adhering to relevant UN resolutions. The U.S. President, for instance, mentioned a draft resolution adopted by the Security Council in June aimed at establishing a ceasefire in Gaza, which has yet to be implemented. Meanwhile, the French President, discussing the heightened tensions on the Lebanese front, stressed the need for all parties to respect their commitments along the Blue Line in accordance with Security Council Resolution 1701, to prevent the outbreak of a broader war between the two sides. Furthermore, Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan highlighted the necessity of adhering to the decisions and advisory opinions issued by the International Court of Justice, including its provisional measures related to the war in Gaza.
These references underscore the presence of international organizations in conflict resolution efforts. However, they also reveal a significant shortcoming: the lack of effective mechanisms through which these organizations can enforce the will of their members in the international community and implement the resolutions established for conflict settlement.
3- Centrality of the Gaza war and the day after:
The Israeli war on Gaza and the future of the Palestinian cause dominated the speeches of numerous leaders from Arab, regional, and international countries during this year's UN General Assembly. These addresses overwhelmingly emphasized the urgent need for a ceasefire agreement and the release of hostages in Gaza. Many speakers envisioned that such actions would pave the way for a just settlement based on a two-state solution, considering various scenarios for the post-war landscape.
In this context, perhaps the most significant development was the launch of an "international coalition for implementing the two-state solution" by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan. Spearheaded by Saudi Arabia, this coalition brings together Arab and Islamic states alongside European partners. The initiative was unveiled on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meetings, with Bin Farhan extending an invitation to all countries to join. The coalition's primary objective is to establish a credible and irreversible path towards a just and comprehensive peace.
4- Israeli escalation against the Lebanese front and fears of slipping into a comprehensive war:
Many leaders emphasized the urgency for calm and a ceasefire in Southern Lebanon, following Israeli actions against Hezbollah and the bombardment of numerous Lebanese towns and villages, which resulted in hundreds of casualties and the displacement of nearly a million Lebanese.
In response to this escalating situation, both France and the United States proposed a 21-day ceasefire after holding extensive discussions on the sidelines of the General Assembly and bilateral meetings between the two presidents. However, Netanyahu's speech rejected these diplomatic efforts, asserting the necessity for Israel to defeat Hezbollah in Lebanon. This stance implied a gradual escalation by Tel Aviv toward a ground invasion of southern Lebanon, the scale of which would vary depending on operational circumstances and Hezbollah's response.
It appears evident that Netanyahu continues to rely on a military approach to gain time for a victory he seeks to promote domestically and to bolster his political standing. This strategy has led him to open the northern front with Lebanon, where the goals he has promoted for this confrontation—including the return of Israelis in the north to their homes and changing the balance of power in the region—have provided cover for extending the current war. His approach is further exemplified by the targeted actions he has taken against Hezbollah leaders, including its secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah.
The missile attacks launched by Iran against Israel on the evening of October 1 may also provide Netanyahu with additional justifications for continuing and expanding Israel's strikes against Tehran and its proxies in the region. Netanyahu himself confirmed this in his statements following these attacks, declaring, "Iran made a big mistake tonight and it will pay for it." He further emphasized that Israel's retaliation would extend beyond Iran, encompassing the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, and Syria.
5- Criticism of Iran’s role in the region:
During the UN meetings, both Netanyahu and Biden criticized Iran's role in the region, considering it one of the catalysts for current escalation. Biden referred to the "ongoing threat posed by Iran," while Netanyahu spoke of what he termed the "curse of Iran's unremitting aggression." This alignment in perspective extended to some European leaders, who concurred with the American-Israeli position regarding Iran's alleged violations of international obligations. They specifically highlighted concerns about the expansion of Iran's nuclear program and its pursuit of nuclear weapons, emphasizing the critical need to prevent Iran from acquiring such capabilities.
In contrast, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian sought to present a more moderate reformist vision in his speech, aiming to project a different image of the Iranian political system to the international community. He emphasized Iran's commitment to peace for all and stated that there was no intention for conflict with any country. Pezeshkian confirmed Tehran's readiness to end the nuclear crisis with the West, saying, "We are ready to engage with participants of the 2015 nuclear deal. If the deal's commitments are implemented fully and in good faith, dialogue on other issues can follow." This statement seemed to allude to Iran's regional activities as a potential topic for future discussions.
However, Pezeshkian's conciliatory messages at the UN General Assembly failed to resonate positively with Tel Aviv. Netanyahu, in his speech, directed a stern warning to the "tyrants of Tehran," stating, "If you strike us, we will strike you. There is no place—there is no place in Iran—that the long arm of Israel cannot reach. And that's true of the entire Middle East." He further called for the reinstatement of sanctions imposed by the Security Council on Tehran. Netanyahu also reaffirmed his preference for a military approach and rejected a ceasefire in Gaza, indicating an unwavering commitment to fight until a "complete victory" is achieved.
6- Regulating the use of artificial intelligence:
During the UN meetings, leaders and officials expressed clear interest in the applications of artificial intelligence, highlighting the need for establishing rules and frameworks to regulate the technology. This concern was particularly emphasized in light of the risks associated with its military applications, as noted by some leaders. Their interest likely stems from recent events, such as the simultaneous explosions of pager and walkie-talkie devices in Lebanon, which led to the deaths of at least 37 people and injuries to over 3,000 others.
In conclusion, although the UN General Assembly held its session this year amid unprecedented escalation in the Middle East, it has failed to activate its role and implement resolutions to mitigate this escalation and resolve worsening conflicts. This shortcoming underscores the urgent need for member states to call for reform of the operational mechanisms of international institutions and restructuring of their institutional framework. Such reforms are necessary given the pace of armed conflicts and the emergence of unconventional forms of warfare, which require institutional frameworks that may not be supported by the current structures of international organizations.
