The wish list of the century

Never has it been more urgent to revamp the UN’s role in resolving aggressions against helpless global citizens 

THE textbook response to the turning of the calendar is normally more than just a mark of time. For most, it is an opportunity to reflect on past lessons and to envision a better future. 

This year, however, is a bit more special, as it marks a quarter of a century since the dawn of the new millennium, which harboured a renewed hope for the global citizen still rejoicing the fall of the Berlin Wall. 

Yet, in 2025, for many, things have not improved. 

It is evident in the worsening environmental, social, economic and political climate globally, which saw the outbreak of diseases, natural disasters, and broadening oppressions and wars. 

The twin phenomenon of La Nina and El Nino may have caused disasters, but the rising hegemony of the West have definitely killed a lot more people than natural catastrophes. 

Over the 25-year period, the global cumulative death toll from natural disasters is estimated to be between 1 million and 1.5 million people, including major events like the 2004 tsunami — which killed 228,000 people across 15 countries — and the 2023 earthquake, which resulted in the deaths of 60,000 people in Turkiye and Syria. 

These natural disasters, however, pale in comparison to conflicts, like the US-manufactured War on terror, which has killed as many as 4.7 million people in the devastated regions of Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and Yemen. And let’s not forget the ongoing oppression and genocide of Palestinians by Zionist terrorist Israel. Between 2000 and 2022, more than 10,000 Palestinians were murdered, and thousands more were incarcerated and tortured in Israeli prisons. 

Since the October 2023 aggression against the Gaza Strip, the documented death toll has risen to 46,006 Palestinians, more than one-third of whom are women and children, with over 110,000 injured. Other reputable sources, however, estimate the casualty numbers to be much higher, with up to 200,000 deaths since tens of thousands are missing, believed to be buried under the flattened ruins of Gaza. 

With an eye on the brutal quarter century of past, what is the main wish for the next 25 years? 

Reform of the United Nations (UN). 

This October will mark the 80th anniversary of the UN, which played a significant role in the formation of the terrorist state Israel through the adoption of the UN Partition Plan for Palestine in 1947. 

The UN proposed division of Palestine into two states — a Jewish state to take over more than half of historic Palestinian land, and an Arab state to a much-reduced indigenous land — was exploited as the basis for legitimising the founding of the Zionist state in 1948, and justifying the continued land-robbery, ethnic cleansing and genocide of Palestinians ever since. 

However, the blatant and barbaric aggressions by the terrorist state of Israel over the past 15 months have significantly changed the stance of the international body. 

In 2023 alone, the UN has passed 15 resolutions against Israel’s barbaric attack on the Gaza detention camp, home to more than 2.3 million civilians. In 2024, there were 17 similar resolutions. 

These resolutions mostly called for either a ceasefire or allowance of aid for Gazans, but they were vetoed nonetheless by none other than the lackeys of Israel, namely the US et al. 

The International Court of Justice, the UN’s legal counsel, has labelled the Israeli aggression as act of genocide. The International Court of Criminal, at the same time, has labelled Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, as war criminals and issued arrest warrants for both. 

The frustration of UN members over Israeli impunity is palpable and has sparked discussions of reforms — especially at the US-led UN Security Council — where most members agreed that it has become an impediment to peace rather than deterrent to war. 

The UN Security Council is clearly outdated and has been an actual barrier to peace across the globe. The US’ role in the council has clearly been abused by Israel to instigate wars since the 90s, particularly in the Middle East. 

The world needs to acknowledge the overwhelming evidence of Israel’s role as provocateur for the US’ two-decades of war on terrorism. The loss of millions of innocent civilians in this false war should serve as a global motivation. 

Never has it been more urgent to revamp the UN’s role in resolving aggressions against helpless global citizens. 

  • Asuki Abas is the editor of The Malaysian Reserve.

  • This article first appeared in The Malaysian Reserve weekly print edition

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