BENEATH the shadow of Sa’adi’s verse, reminding visitors that humanity is one body, the United Nations will open summit meetings of 80th General Assembly on Monday with Palestine, a long-festering wound in world politics, set to dominate proceedings.

The UN headquarters, serene in the early morning, turns restless as the day advances.

The plaza outside has become a veritable Hyde Park, with anti-Israel activists rallying daily under the banner ‘Stop Starving Gaza’, while pro-Israel groups stage counter-protests nearby.

Pakistanis and Kashmiris are present too, protesting the possible execution of Yasin Malik. Ukrainians and victims of other conflicts join in, turning the forecourt into a chorus of grievances.

As nearly 150 world leaders gather to mark the UN’s 80th anniversary, the global peace forum finds itself surrounded by protests and engulfed in wars.

From its inception, the unresolved question of Palestine has haunted the UN, testing both its credibility and its capacity to deliver peace.

The high-level international conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, aims to revive support for a two-state solution.

In a break with convention, the General Assembly has also voted to allow Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to address the event by video link, after the US denied him and his delegation visas to attend the meeting.

Washington has urged countries not to rush into recognizing Palestinian statehood and has warned of visa restrictions on the Palestinian delegation, and President Donald Trump will be closely watched when he addresses the General Assembly on Tuesday.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2025