When it comes to war crimes and crimes against humanity, the right to veto is not legitimate

I am appalled to witness how far the international community has failed the test of humanitarianism and humanity. The killings we witness on a daily basis in pictures and words in different parts of the world are becoming a new normality. Slovenia, as a democratic country committed to the protection of fundamental human rights and freedoms, cannot stand idly by. I have recently voiced my support for Ukraine in this regard. Today, I urge the Security Council to stop the bloodshed in Gaza.

The international community that must act to put a definitive end to this crime has a name. It is the United Nations and its Security Council. It is our first and last resort for the maintenance of global peace and security, based on the protection of human rights. Regrettably, since its inception, the Security Council has fallen victim to the interests of individual states, especially those with veto power. Millions of lives have been lost because of these interests. Membership of the UN Security Council should not be driven by narrow national interests, but rather by a commitment to act in the best interests of humanity.

It is because of this irresponsibility that the images from Gaza reach us and make us turn a blind eye – out of both horror and shame. The dead, the wounded, the sick and even the children dying of hunger should not be seen through the lens of politics and national interests, alliances and inter-state support, or self-defence. They represent nothing less than a crime and a complete denial of all humanity.

I call on the member states of the Security Council to put an end to these atrocities by imposing a ceasefire in Gaza. I urge the member states of the Security Council, who have the power to act, to restore a modicum of dignity to the suffering and dying people in Gaza. That is what a ceasefire would make possible, at least to some extent. As a member of the Security Council, Slovenia must continue to do its utmost, with all the knowledge and experience at our disposal, to bring about a ceasefire and ensure immediate humanitarian aid for the civilian population in Gaza. The call for a ceasefire before the start of Ramadan is supported by reasonable domestic and international public opinion. As President of Slovenia, I am ready to actively participate in these efforts at any time.

We will never forget the horrific massacre perpetrated by Hamas. Nor will we forget Israel's policy of inflicting collective punishment on the Palestinian people. But we must also recognise that Gaza represents both the present and the future. In the face of mass crimes against a civilian population, the veto is simply no longer justifiable. The Security Council must act immediately to pass a resolution that sends a clear message to Israel: what is happening in Gaza and the West Bank is contrary to the UN Charter. While the right to self-defence is recognised, it applies to peoples under threat, and in this conflict there is only one nation that is under threat: the Palestinian. The Palestinians need peace and humanitarian aid. And they need it now.