What Happens When UN Security Council Resolutions are Ignored?

"What happens when UN Security Council resolutions are ignored? That depends, really-on whether you are any of 192 other members of the United Nations, or are Israel.

Defenders of Israel often claim that it is treated differently by the United Nations from any other nation. That claim is accurate, and a brief look at Lebanon offers some proof. It continues to violate Security Council resolutions, year after year-but no one complains, and no one ever argues that Lebanon must be punished with boycotts or prosecutions for doing so. In fact they are often congratulated for their defiance.

The United Nations Security Council has been saying for decades that the Government of Lebanon must exercise control of its territory. Resolution 1559 of 2004 'Calls for the disbanding and disarmament of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias' and 'Supports the extension of the control of the Government of Lebanon over all Lebanese territory.' By 'Lebanese militias' the UN was referring to Hezbollah, but dared not speak its name. In any event, the Government of Lebanon did not comply...

In the last week of December, 2016, Lebanon got a new government under Prime Minister Saad Hariri, and as is customary the new Cabinet issued a 'Ministerial Statement' outlining its plans. Those plans openly defied the Security Council's many resolutions on Lebanon and bowed to Hezbollah pressure... Lebanon is in violation of Security Council resolutions, and deliberately so...

The point is that plenty of countries defy the UN but in very, very few cases is this even noticed, and in fewer still is anyone punished. Israel remains a special case, whose maltreatment in the UN is a disgrace-and one that, until the Obama administration decided to allow Resolution 2334 to pass, the United States fought and prevented in the Security Council. It may be a vain hope that the UN will depart from past practices and stop persecuting Israel, but it seems very likely that under the Trump administration the United States will return to past practices and defend Israel again. That would be a good start for 2017."