UN Chief Invokes Rare Article: In a rare move, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has invoked Article 99 of the UN Charter to bring the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine directly to the attention of the UN Security Council (UNSC).

Article 99 states that the Secretary-General “may bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security.” This is only the second time in history that a UN Secretary-General has used this article.

Guterres’ decision comes after months of escalating violence in the region, including a recent Israeli airstrike that killed nine Palestinians, including a child. The UN chief expressed his deep concern about the situation and called on all parties to “immediately de-escalate the situation and return to the path of peace.”

“I am invoking Article 99 of the UN Charter to bring this matter directly to the attention of the Security Council,” Guterres said in a statement. “The situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, has reached a boiling point. The violence must stop immediately.”

The UN Security Council is the UN’s most powerful body and is responsible for maintaining international peace and security. The Council has the authority to take a variety of actions, including imposing sanctions and authorizing the use of force.

It is unclear how the UN Security Council will respond to Guterres’ invocation of Article 99. However, his decision is likely to increase pressure on the international community to take action to address the ongoing conflict in Israel and Palestine.

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What is Article 99 of the UN Charter?

Article 99 of the UN Charter states that “the Secretary-General may bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security.” This gives the Secretary-General the authority to raise any issue that he believes could lead to war or conflict, even if it is not on the Security Council’s agenda.

Why is this a rare move?

Article 99 has only been invoked a handful of times in history. The most recent time was in 2016, when then-Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon invoked the article to bring the Syrian civil war to the attention of the Security Council.

What are the implications of Guterres’ decision?

Guterres’ decision to invoke Article 99 is a significant escalation of the UN’s response to the conflict between Israel and Palestine. It is likely to increase pressure on the international community to take action to address the situation.

What could the UN Security Council do?

The UN Security Council has a variety of options at its disposal, including:

• Imposing sanctions on Israel: The Security Council could impose economic or diplomatic sanctions on Israel in an attempt to pressure the country to change its behavior.
• Authorizing the use of force: The Security Council could authorize the use of force to protect civilians in the occupied Palestinian territory.
• Issuing a statement: The Security Council could issue a statement condemning the violence and calling for a ceasefire.

It is unclear what action the Security Council will take. However, Guterres’ decision to invoke Article 99 is likely to increase pressure on the Council to take some action to address the situation.

What is the reaction from the international community?

The international community has been largely critical of the Israeli government’s response to the recent escalation in violence. Many countries have called for an immediate ceasefire and for Israel to respect the human rights of Palestinians.

The United States, Israel’s closest ally, has been more supportive of Israel’s actions. However, even the US has called for an end to the violence and for both sides to take steps to de-escalate the situation.

The international community is likely to closely watch the UN Security Council’s response to Guterres’ invocation of Article 99. The Council’s response will send a signal to the international community about how serious it believes the situation in Israel and Palestine to be.

It is hoped that the UN Security Council will take decisive action to address the conflict between Israel and Palestine. The ongoing violence is unacceptable and must be stopped.