One year since the ceasefire, the UN commemorates its failures

Nothing spells hypocrisy more accurately than the UN commemorating its failures. In a press release titled One year after ceasefire announcement, killings continue across Gaza, the UN Deputy Special Coordinator, Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator’s Office expresses its purported concern “about continued crimes under international law, including war crimes.”

That is to be expected when, instead of halting genocide, a ceasefire is announced so belatedly that it holds no value except in international rhetoric. Since the so-called ceasefire, which did nothing but give the international community respite from having to face global outrage at Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza, over 1,400 Palestinians have been killed, 1,076 of which have been identified by UN personnel. The press release also notes that Israel killed over 20,000 Palestinian children in Gaza since 7 October 2023. 

“This pattern raises serious concerns that Israel is directing attacks against civilians not directly participating in hostilities – a war crime,” the press release partly states. Is this pattern really raising concern now? Have UN diplomats and personnel not seen children torn to shreds, decapitated by bombs or burnt to death before commemorating the first rhetorical ceasefire? Or is the UN attempting to make Israeli war crimes since the ceasefire look worse than they did during the genocide?

All war crimes are war crimes. Only the UN enjoys distinguishing according to time frames, because timeframes suit bureaucratic purposes. 

WATCH: ‘Peace Requires Justice’: Why Washington and Tel Aviv Want Neither | Palestine This Week

Since the ceasefire widely celebrated by the international community while Palestinians still suffer under Israel’s bombs, the slower form of genocide chosen by Israel is no longer making constant headlines. Rather, news has transformed into updates. Palestinians have been forcibly displaced multiple times. Instead of forcing Israel to withdraw its military occupation from Gaza, there is passive observation as Israel’s gradual encroachment reaches its target area of 70 per cent of Gaza, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had declared. The UN will undoubtedly then continue with its passive observation as Israel occupied 80 per cent of Gaza, given that Israeli officials have already stated there will be no withdrawal. 

The bizarre end Palestinians fear is not spoken about as much by the UN – where will Palestinians live? Will the UN then capitulate to Israel’s purported free movement plan? What will the UN do when it realises that by not stopping Israel’s genocide, Palestinians have nowhere to go?

But that was the plan all along, since 1947. Which constitutes another hypocritical commemoration –in November, the UN celebrates solidarity with Palestinians on the day it allowed the Zionist colonial movement its presence in Palestine on stolen land. 

Decades after the first anti-colonial struggles for liberation started, the UN is still protecting its colonial roots while referring to international law, human rights, Sustainable Development Goals, non-biding resolutions and the fallacy of hope. One year since the ceasefire, the UN should not be contemplating how Israel continued with its war crimes. The UN should be contemplating its existence and its complicity with colonialism.

Those on the right side of history do not need anniversaries to see colonialism for what it is.

BLOG: The Board of Peace’s commitment is tied to Israeli colonialism

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.