The Inside Story Podcast How relevant is the United Nations in the Gaza war?
Sep 19, 2025
William Lawrence, a political science and international affairs professor and former U.S. diplomat, joins Ardi Imseis, a law professor and ex-UN legal officer. They discuss the implications of the U.S. blocking UN resolutions for a Gaza ceasefire. Lawrence highlights the potential for UN General Assembly initiatives, while Imseis assesses the challenges of deploying troops and suggests sanctions might be a more viable response. They also delve into legal avenues and the complex interactions of U.S. politics with international law and recognition efforts.
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General Assembly As Pressure Valve
- The UN General Assembly can act after Security Council vetoes and build international momentum.
- General Assembly measures are non-binding but create political and legal pressure for bilateral and regional action.
US Influence Versus Global Momentum
- The US will lobby to blunt General Assembly moves but often fails to stop broad regional momentum.
- Diplomacy at the UN is organizing block-by-block, creating unprecedented collective actions.
Limits Of Uniting For Peace
- Uniting for Peace could be invoked but deploying troops to Gaza is politically unrealistic.
- US opposition and practical constraints make a UN stabilization force unlikely.