By Afshain Afzal

The United States Veto a resolution awarding the Palestinians a full membership at United Nations Security Council on 18 April 2024. Out of the total 15 members. 12 UNSC members voted in favour of Palestine, the United Kingdom and Switzerland abstained from the vote and the United States veto the Resolution. If we recall, on 1 January 1942, 26 States at war with Axis Powers subscribed to a common programme of purpose and principles embodied in the Atlantic Charter in a document, which became known as "Declaration of the United Nations" and was signed by 50 countries on 26 June 1945. Despite undertaking of peace, on 6 and 9 August 1945, USA detaonated two atomic bombs over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki The bombing killed over 300, 000 people, most of whom were civilians. Almost two and a half month later on 24 October 1945, United Nations was established when its charter was ratified. Today there is a serious question over the worthiness and strength of United Nations in resolving dispute between the states, maintaining international peace and security and taking effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to peace and suppression of acts of aggression.

State entities, as members of the United Nations Organization joined this international organization, not under any compulsion but due to the provision that guarantees in its preamble equal rights of nations large and small and establishing conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained. With the purpose to maintain international peace and security, take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to peace, suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, State entities believed in the United Nations. However, we have seen threats to peace and acts of aggression multiplying and the United Nations acted not more a silent spectator, preventing the victims from taking actions against the aggressors.

As an international organization instead of seeking a solution by negotiation, enquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement it preferred imposing sanction on the victims of aggression, war crimes and genocide. Instead of invoking Article 36, the Security Council making recommendations for the legal disputes be referred by the parties to the International Court of Justice in accordance with the provisions of the Statute of the Court, United Nations failed to even get Resolutions passed on its own findings and reports due to Veto.

There is question mark over the worthiness and strength of the United Nations due to undue and unjustified influence of Veto powers that haunts the smaller States. The United Nations failed in resolving dispute between the states, maintaining international peace and security or taking effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to peace. Should we continue with the weak United Nations as a pawn in the hands of aggressors and terrorists to serve their interests? It is high time to revamp powers and procedures of the United Nations to transform this toothless organization to an empowered and effective International Organization that serve as an instrument of peace. More so, any Veto on a Resolution must be supported by a rationale that fulfills the role and purpose of United Nations rather than serving self-interests of bigger nations