OPINION:
What does it take for the United Nations to lower its flag to half-mast and for Secretary-General António Guterres to express his sorrow?
This seemingly simple act of mourning and acknowledgment speaks volumes about the values and priorities of the world’s foremost international organization. Yet, one glance at global news reveals a multitude of crises demanding urgent attention and moral clarity — each warranting a symbolic gesture of mourning and a vocal stance.
Subscribe to have The Washington Times’ Higher Ground delivered to your inbox every Sunday.
From the war-torn regions of Sudan to the humanitarian catastrophe in Afghanistan, the world is riddled with suffering that cries out for the UN’s attention. In Sudan, the conflict has escalated to war, genocide, and famine, causing untold misery for millions. The situation is dire, with countless lives lost and entire communities displaced. The international community looks to the UN for leadership and action, yet symbolic gestures like flying the flag at half-mast are conspicuously absent.
Afghanistan, too, faces an unprecedented humanitarian crisis two years after the Taliban’s return to power. The nation is grappling with widespread hunger, economic collapse, and severe restrictions on women’s rights and freedoms. The scale of human suffering is immense, yet the UN’s visible signs of solidarity and mourning are rarely seen.
My homeland, Israel, is engaged in a protracted conflict with Hamas, a terrorist organization responsible for a brutal massacre on October 7. On that dark day, around 1,200 people were murdered in the most savage of ways; hundreds, including children, teenagers, and the elderly, were taken hostage, and rape was used as a weapon of war. Seven months later, Hamas still holds over 100 hostages and continues its rocket attacks on Israeli civilians, displacing some 25,000 citizens from their homes. Meanwhile, Palestinians remain trapped under the yoke of Hamas, suffering from its oppressive rule. These atrocities demand not just condemnation but clear actions. To this day, the world has only mastered the ability to castigate Israel rather than join forces with Israel to liberate the innocent on both sides of the fence. This cycle of selective outrage and inaction perpetuates the suffering, and it is high time for a unified stance against the real perpetrators of this ongoing tragedy.
SEE ALSO: Honoring evil dishonors God
The list of global crises is long and harrowing. In Yemen, the ongoing conflict has led to one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters, with millions on the brink of starvation. In Myanmar, the Rohingya continue to suffer from ethnic cleansing and displacement. Across the globe, countless other tragedies unfold daily, each deserving of the UN’s recognition and a clear stance against the injustices perpetrated.
Yet, the death of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash on May 19 was marked by the UN with the flag flown at half-mast and an official statement of sorrow from Secretary-General Guterres. This response is not just puzzling but deeply troubling. Raisi, known as the “Butcher of Tehran,” presided over thousands of executions, including the high-profile case of Mahsa Amini. His support for proxy terror groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis extended his regime’s terror beyond Iran’s borders.
The UN’s decision to mourn Raisi contrasts sharply with its muted response to genuine humanitarian crises. This act underscores a profound moral bankruptcy within the organization. It raises critical questions about the UN’s priorities and its alignment with its founding principles of promoting peace, security, and human rights.
Why does the UN, an entity created to uphold human dignity and justice, display such selective mourning, even going so far as to hold a minute of silence to mourn the Butcher of Tehran — an offense that will be difficult to rationalize if one considers the crimes he so lavishly dispensed upon his people?
This disparity suggests a troubling inconsistency in the organization’s values and actions. It points to a deeper issue within the UN — a disconnect from the realities faced by global populations and a susceptibility to political influence.
The UN’s failure to adequately recognize and respond to genuine crises with the same symbolic gestures given to controversial figures like Raisi indicates a profound need for introspection and reform. The organization must reassess its priorities and recommit to its core mission: to serve as an impartial guardian of global peace and human rights.
SEE ALSO: The UN’s Silence is Antisemitic: Antonio Guterres must go
We must question our governments about why they continue to fund an organization that glorifies figures like Raisi. It is crucial to scrutinize what truly drives the UN, as it has clearly deviated from its foundational mission to foster global peace and protect human rights. Instead, it has become a politically driven entity that perpetuates conflict and supports tyrannical regimes.
The UN’s recent actions highlight a troubling reality: it no longer serves as the impartial guardian of global peace and justice. Rather, it has become a powerful, politicized institution, whose decisions often exacerbate rather than alleviate international crises. This stark disconnect from its mission necessitates a thorough reevaluation of the UN’s role and effectiveness in the modern world.
It is imperative that member states and global citizens demand accountability and reform within the UN, ensuring that it upholds its foundational principles and genuinely works towards the protection of human rights and the promotion of peace. Without such change, the UN risks further entrenching its status as an enabler of injustice, thereby undermining its credibility and the very values it was established to defend.
–
Danielle Ofek is an Israeli activist and a pioneering figure in tech and social entrepreneurship, known for her dynamic approach to gender parity and women’s rights. Recognizing a significant gap in the international community’s response to the sexual violence perpetrated against Israeli women and girls on October 7th, Danielle founded Angle, an initiative aimed at addressing this critical issue.
Angle was born out of a necessity to challenge the prevalent misinformation and biases in the reporting and responses to these incidents. Under Danielle’s guidance, the initiative has been instrumental in redirecting the narrative towards a more accurate and unbiased portrayal of the events.
Over the past six years, Danielle has been actively involved in working with enterprises and corporations, focusing on bridging the gender parity divide. She has been a fervent advocate for encouraging women to ascend to leadership positions, a commitment that is evident in her groundbreaking work.
The #MeToo_Unless_UR_A_Jew campaign is one of Angle’s key projects, launched to bring these pressing issues into the spotlight of international discourse. This campaign reflects Danielle’s dedication to not just highlighting problems but actively seeking solutions and advocating for change.
In 2019, Danielle’s expertise and passion led her to speak at the UN - CSW63. There, she discussed women in tech as part of her project, Parliament51, further showcasing her commitment to empowering women in all sectors. Danielle’s work, both through Angle and her various other initiatives, positions her as a formidable force in the fight for women’s rights and gender equality on the global stage.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.