WORLD leaders are making their way to New York as the 80th session of the UN General Assembly kicks off this week. Among other global crises, the Gaza genocide will top the agenda.

Yet it will be a massive disappointment if the global elite continue to simply offer their condolences to the besieged people of Gaza, instead of coming up with solid plans to end Israel’s butchery. The international community’s track record in this regard is quite poor, but the UNGA session offers a chance for the comity of nations to help end the slaughter.

As these lines were being written Israel was busy exterminating the population of Gaza City. Half a million Palestinians have reportedly been ethnically cleansed from the area, told to ‘leave’ by the Israeli military. But there is nowhere to go, as even overcrowded ‘safe zones’ in the occupied Strip are not safe from Israel’s predatory behaviour.

The paralysis of the international community, including the UN, is astounding, as states have been unable to take any punitive steps against Israel. Perhaps the biggest reason for this is that the US, the world’s most powerful country, is Israel’s biggest defender on the world stage. Last week, the US vetoed for the sixth time — since the Gaza offensive began — a ceasefire resolution at the UNSC.

Moreover, Washington has blocked or revoked visas for the Palestinian delegation, which means that President Mahmoud Abbas will have to address the UN by video link. Apparently, the US administration is not just against Hamas, it is actually against Palestine and its people. This is not surprising, as many within the Trump administration are virulent Zionists, willing to put everything on the line to defend Israeli crimes.

The UNGA session will provide states with a conscience to censure Israel for its crimes, and resist American bullying by expressing solidarity with Palestine. Let us see who is willing to do the right thing.

Suffice to say, impassioned speeches and flourishes of rhetoric will not end the Gaza genocide. Only an actionable plan to stop Israel’s butchery can work.

If the US intends on paralysing the Security Council through its veto, let the global majority use UNGA as a stage to send a strong message on Gaza. This can be done by endorsing a resolution to isolate Israel diplomatically and economically — along with enforcing an arms embargo — until Tel Aviv commits to a ceasefire.

Feeble critiques of Israel will not stop it; it will only embolden Israel to cause even more havoc in the occupied territories, as well as the larger region. Therefore, UNGA must speak with one voice: Israel must immediately end the holocaust in Gaza, and those responsible for the Palestinian genocide must face justice.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2025