On further unwanted escalation of Israel–Palestine armed conflict

Jul 01, 2025

By Kusal Perera

Pardon me a socio-political activist from Colombo, Sri Lanka, for this unsolicited communication on an issue that may not have a common view and a consensus across geographical borders to begin immediate collective dialogue. Yet it is that “collective regionalism” I intend to demand from all of you as Heads of States of sovereign nations, on this letter written with impatient urgency in a hi-tech world of military interventions.

I believe, I don’t have to give you the latest details on bloody massacres unleashed on humanity, national property and wealth creating a human tragedy in the neighbouring West Asian region, involving Israel and Palestine since the latest armed conflict in October 2023, dragging Iran into the conflict and the USA walking in, for its own geo-political arrogance.

Most political commentators including me fear, with Israeli military offensives now focussed more outside Gaza, targeting Iran with US patronage, may pave way for a Third WW, despite the Universal Charter with the pledge signed by 51 sovereign nations in 1945 April – June in founding the United Nations. The Universal Charter now having 193 signatories as UN Members, including all South Asian nation States, pledges to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our life-time has brought untold sorrow to mankind and to reaffirm faith in fundamental rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small…..”

I do not intend to question the conscience of our nation States, that allowed with little opposition the ghastly murders of over 56,000 civilians and still counting in the land of Palestinian Gaza since October 2023. That number is said to include 17,400 infants and little children by end March, 2025 according to Al Jazeera, counting over 28,000 women and girls by the UN Women in mid May this year. All this with no estimates on demolished houses, schools, hospitals and other infrastructure for normal living.

While all this brutality the rest of the world including our leaders, all members of the UN watched unfolding during past 20 plus months paying scant importance to, the politico-economically powerful G-7 members issued a statement on 17 June 2025 insisting Israel has a “right to defend itself” and warned Iran cannot have nuclear weapons. This right to defend itself as you all know, is about Israel that has criminal proceedings against it at the International Court of Justice for genocide and is led by PM Netanyahu who is under warrant for arrest issued by the International Criminal Court, along with former minister of defence, Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

I believe all of you as responsible leaders of sovereign nation States do know, Israel is the only country in Mid-East believed to possess nuclear weapons, though G-7 members have never wanted to question the right of Israel to have nuclear weapons. This allegation of Iran developing nuclear weapons amidst clear, open denials from Iranian leaders, a signatory to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty whilst Israel is not, seems another “Iraqi forgery” the like of what was sold to the whole world and to the UN Security Council on “weapons of mass destruction” planned as excuse for the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Let me stress this, though not very palpable for any of us. During the past 80 years since the founding of the UN, we have sat compromising with Western power blocs looking after our own selfish interests not so much bothered, 04 new world generations in most part of this planet earth were pushed to war and dragged through human tragedy. There had been no single year, this world had lived without an armed conflict.

The UN Founding Charter, with all its pledges for peace, humanity, fundamental rights and development, had never been a “charter” held as valid in any international forum by any UN member country including our own South Asian members. It is therefore necessary I believe, to reach a regional consensus on collective responsibility to lobby for and intervene in demanding as Article 1 of Chapter I of the UN Charter says, “To maintain international peace and security, in conformity with the principles of justice and international law”. It is therefore necessary and urgent to demand (1) the US this moment make a public statement they will immediately withdraw all their armed forces from Mid-East and will not be party to any armed conflict, even indirectly, (2) a statement from both Israel and Iran announcing a cease fire immediately with their armed forces withdrawn to barracks, (3) Hamas be compelled to respect and honour the cease fire announced by both Israel and Iran and most importantly, (4) an emergency UN General Assembly to establish a Peace Council consisting of non-arms dealer sovereign States in Europe, Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Mid-East with a mandate to enforce embargoes on military weapons and participation in regional and international cultural activities against any country that violates the cease fire enforced, effective in all Mid-East countries and patronise armed conflicts.

Let me thus conclude this by appealing to all of you to first convene a South Asian Conference of Heads of States and to unanimously resolve to call for an urgent UN General Assembly without any delay and to lobby UN members to adopt a resolution that would include the above 04 demands.

Thank you, all.
With great hope and trust,
Yours most sincerely,
Kusal Perera
Citizen of Sri Lanka