UN Chief Condemns ‘Get Out of Jail Free’ Card for Wars, Reports Reuters

By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS – United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned on Tuesday the increasing number of governments and organizations that believe they have a "get out of jail free card," referencing ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan.

Speaking to world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly, Guterres stated, "They can trample international law. They can violate the United Nations Charter. They can invade another country, devastate entire societies, or completely disregard the welfare of their own people. And nothing will happen."

He expressed grave concern over the escalating culture of impunity, describing it as "politically indefensible and morally intolerable."

With the protracted war between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas in Gaza threatening to spread into Lebanon—following Israeli strikes on over a thousand Hezbollah targets—Guterres issued a heartfelt warning. "Lebanon is at the brink," he said. "The people of Lebanon – the people of Israel – and the people of the world – cannot afford Lebanon to become another Gaza."

Additionally, Guterres highlighted the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which began with Russia’s invasion in February 2022. He noted a recent escalation of tensions, including Ukraine’s land gains in a risky operation in Russia’s Kursk region and Russia’s retaliatory drone and missile attacks. "Civilians are paying the price – in rising death tolls and shattered lives and communities," he remarked, emphasizing the need for a just peace grounded in international principles and U.N. resolutions.

Regarding Sudan, he addressed the "brutal power struggle" between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which erupted into conflict in April of the previous year. "A humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding as famine spreads. Yet outside powers continue to interfere with no unified approach to finding peace," he noted.

Guterres summarised the current global situation as unsustainable but affirmed that the challenges could be addressed. "Geo-political divisions keep deepening. The planet keeps heating. Wars rage with no clear end in sight. Nuclear threats and the development of new weapons cast a dark shadow," he warned. "We are edging towards the unimaginable – a powder keg that risks engulfing the world."