Article 99!
Gaza is on the brink of the severest catastrophe in human history. More than a million people are in distress and living by chance. The situation on ground was flagged by none other than the Secretary-General of the United Nations, as he has invoked Article 99 of the UN Charter for the first time in his tenure, and called upon the comity of nations to act before it gets too late. António Guterres has led from the front in calling out the criminal impasse of the world powers, and especially the apathy and callousness of the UN Security Council as it has kept itself glued to connivance, rather than taking a stand for a nation in existential crisis.
Article 99 of the Security Council, which empowers the Secretary-General to speak to the Security Council members at his own discretion, indicates that the besieged Palestinians in the enclave of Gaza are done with patience. Guterres has simply made the world aware of the dangers to peace and security on a holistic note, and went on to declare in categorical terms that the Israeli transgression and the strange response of the world in appeasement is not only in negation of the UN Charter but also a persistent crime against humanity. He must be heard, as there is no other way out than action, and that too without any partisanship. Israel is committing war crimes, and it must be singled out for that without any prejudice.
It is ironic that there is still a flip side of abusing public opinion. Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen had the audacity to snub Guterres’ initiative, saying it is tantamount to ‘aiding Hamas’. This is pathetic and only those who are abettors of Israeli crimes can buy this theory. In UN Secretary-General’s words, “Gaza could soon break down amid the complete collapse of the humanitarian system and with no effective protection for civilians.” Period! The world’s largest concentration camp simply reminds of Nazi crimes and another Holocaust in the making. This time the perpetrator is the Zionist state.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 8th, 2023.
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