What to Monitor at the UN as the Crisis in Israel and Gaza Unfolds

Three key variables

With conflict between Israel and Hamas spiraling since the attack on Saturday, top UN officials, including Antonio Guterres, are calling for restraint. “Civilians must be respected and protected in accordance with international humanitarian law at all times,” he said in a statement, adding that “all diplomatic efforts” must be made “to avoid a wider conflagration.”

It is difficult to imagine these calls will be heeded.

Things are now evolving rapidly at the United Nations along three fronts: the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Southern Lebanon, diplomacy at the Security Council, and humanitarian operations by UNRWA in Gaza.

UNIFIL

The United Nations has a 10,000 strong peacekeeping force deployed in Southern Lebanon across what is known as the Blue Line. This is a 120 kilometer stretch from which Israeli forces withdrew in 2000 and again in 2006 following incursions targeting Hezbollah. It is unique for UN peacekeeping in that some of its largest troop contributing countries are from Europe— …