Shazia Ramzan
World leaders are once again converging in New York as the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly begins. This year, the global stage is overshadowed by one of the most urgent humanitarian crises of our time: Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza. The question before the world is simple yet profound—will the international community rise beyond hollow statements of sympathy, or will it remain complicit through silence and inaction?
The past year has been a nightmare for the people of Gaza. Israel’s military campaign has systematically devastated entire communities. Reports suggest that nearly half a million Palestinians have been ethnically cleansed from Gaza City, forced to leave under military orders. But “leaving” is a cruel illusion; there is nowhere to go. Even so-called “safe zones” are bombarded with impunity, proving that Israel’s objective is not security but eradication. This is extermination in plain sight, carried out under the eyes of the world.
The paralysis of the international community in the face of this carnage is astounding. The United Nations has been reduced to a spectator, unable to impose consequences or even pass a ceasefire resolution without obstruction. The main obstacle is not the lack of consensus among nations but the consistent veto wielded by the United States. For the sixth time since the assault began, Washington has used its veto at the UN Security Council to shield Israel from accountability.
America’s role extends beyond the veto. Washington has reportedly blocked or revoked visas for the Palestinian delegation, effectively silencing President Mahmoud Abbas, who will now be forced to address the UN remotely. This is not a matter of “security” or “process”; it is an act of political hostility, confirming that the US is not merely opposed to Hamas but stands squarely against the Palestinian people themselves. Given the dominance of Zionist voices in the Trump administration, this hostility should surprise no one.
The UNGA now stands as the only meaningful platform where the global majority can speak truth to power. If the Security Council is paralysed, the General Assembly must assume its moral authority. It is not enough to issue impassioned speeches or symbolic condemnations. The UNGA must adopt a clear and actionable strategy to pressure Israel into ending its massacre. This includes diplomatic isolation, economic sanctions, and most critically, a comprehensive arms embargo until Israel commits to a permanent ceasefire.
Anything less than decisive action will embolden Israel further. History shows that weak criticism does not restrain occupiers; it empowers them. If the international community continues its half-hearted approach, Israel will only escalate its destruction—not just in Gaza but across occupied territories, destabilising the entire region. The stakes extend far beyond Palestine; the credibility of international law, the integrity of global institutions, and the conscience of humanity itself hang in the balance.
The UNGA must speak with one voice: the slaughter in Gaza must stop, Israel must end its holocaust against Palestinians, and those responsible for crimes against humanity must face international justice. Without such clarity, the UN risks becoming irrelevant, remembered not as a guardian of peace but as an institution that stood by while a people were exterminated.
