Israel's Reign of Terror Imperils Global Peace and Security

Dr. Reneva Fourie

On the eve of the opening of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Israel, on Tuesday, 9 September, once again displayed its contempt for international law and peace.

In a brazen operation in Qatar, Israel struck the headquarters of Hamas’ political leadership as they gathered to consider the Trump proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza. 

The strike, condoned by the United States in the capital of its ally, exposed Washington’s treachery and moral bankruptcy. This was not a battlefield strike but cold-blooded, extrajudicial murder on the soil of a sovereign state with which Israel maintains no hostilities. It was a direct assault on the principles that underpin global order, raising the stark question of whether we are witnessing the death of red lines.

Qatar has often served as a mediator, providing a guaranteed safe space for dialogue, a fundamental requirement for conflict resolution. Turning that space into a site of political killings sends a message that no territory is off limits and no negotiating process is protected.

Article 2(4) of the UN Charter prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. Article 33 obliges states to resolve disputes through peaceful means. Assassinating political representatives on foreign soil is a breach of both. 

Israel and the United States claim to act in the name of security. Yet their actions in Doha have produced the opposite. International practice rests on the understanding that those who engage in talks can do so without fear of physical reprisal.

By discarding that understanding, Israel has once again affirmed that it does not commit to the peaceful resolution of conflict and has no respect for the territorial integrity of others. This places those who favour negotiations at mortal risk and strengthens extremists who reject diplomacy entirely.

Attention must also be given to the role of the United States. The United States was aware of and failed to restrain the operation. The United States has historically engaged in intelligence-sharing and coordination with Israel concerning Hamas activities in Qatar.

Furthermore, it is known to supply Israel with some missile systems used in targeted killings, such as Hellfire missiles and precision-guided bombs. Given its complicity – whether direct or indirect – the irony is acute, as Qatar hosts Al Udeid Air Base, the forward headquarters for US Central Command, and the core component of Washington’s power projection in the region.

Enabling an attack in its host’s capital is staggering duplicity. It shatters the United States’ credibility as a guarantor of stability. Like the betrayal of Iran during its negotiations, it proves that American commitments are dangerously fickle when Israel demands intervention. This reckless attitude breaches the obligations under Article 2(1) of the UN Charter, which enshrines the sovereign equality, independence, and inviolability of all states.

The broader international implications are sobering. If a US-backed state can so brazenly strike inside the territory of another sovereign state, then no country is immune. Borders and sovereignty become conditional, respected only when powerful states choose to recognise them. For countries that have pursued foreign policies critical of Israeli actions in Gaza, the warning is particularly stark. 

South Africa has distinguished itself as a vocal critic of Israel’s actions in Gaza, leading at the International Court of Justice and defending Palestinian rights. This principled stance has drawn accusations of sympathy for Hamas – an old tactic to silence dissent.

Tuesday’s attack reveals that such rhetoric can translate into violent reprisals. The answer is not retreat but stronger security and intelligence, protection of diplomatic facilities, and renewed national unity. Without safeguarding sovereignty, South Africa risks having its foreign policy dictated from outside.

The attack in Doha underscores the urgent need for an international response that extends beyond expressions of condemnation. A dangerously unhinged, nuclear-armed power has placed us squarely in rogue-regime territory.

Israel should be declared a threat to international peace and stability under Chapter VII of the UN Charter. Article 39 empowers the Security Council to identify threats and mandate measures to restore security, while Articles 41–42 allow for sanctions or even military action once such a threat is established. The International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court also provide legal avenues for accountability. 

These statutes and institutions exist precisely to address actions that imperil international peace and security. The first step, however, is to convince the Security Council to acknowledge that Israel’s actions amount to such a threat. This political process is significant in itself, even if the US will veto it.

Importantly, there is an urgent need for the Security Council to be transformed if the belligerence of Israel and the US is to be stopped. To allow this episode to pass without consequence would be to confirm that some states enjoy impunity, while others remain bound by rules. 

China has presented its Global Security Initiative and Global Governance Initiative as frameworks to stabilise the rules-based order and promote the peaceful resolution of disputes. These initiatives proclaim multilateralism, human rights, and respect for sovereignty at a time when they are under relentless attack and global scrutiny.

Yet China has done far too little to restrain Israel and America from ruthless, unprovoked aggression. If Beijing truly wishes to be regarded as a credible, responsible alternative to Western hegemony, it must act decisively.

China must take concrete, tangible measures to defend sovereignty, uphold diplomatic norms, and contribute to punishing violations whenever they occur. This will send a clear message that the principles it promotes are not empty rhetoric but enforceable standards for global order.

To let Israel, the United States, and their allies commit continuous state terrorism with impunity is to endorse a world where diplomacy is a trap, borders are meaningless, and international law is hollow. This UNGA term must act decisively; failure would confirm its irrelevance and complicity in the collapse of the order it was meant to defend.

* Dr Reneva Fourie is a policy analyst specialising in governance, development, and security.

** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL, Independent Media or The African.