Reader’s Point Of View
COLOMBO :The United Nations Peacekeeping Forces were established to help reduce civilian suffering, prevent escalation, and support peace agreements in conflict zones. However, when one looks at prolonged conflicts such as the Israel-Palestine crisis—now spiraling further out of control—one must ask: are they truly effective?
Despite the immense financial burden—running into billions of dollars annually—the presence of UN peacekeepers has done little to curb violence or hold aggressors accountable in this particular situation. If the very nations funding and endorsing peacekeeping missions lack the political will to ensure neutrality, protection, and enforcement, what real value do these missions serve?
It is time for the global community to reassess this mechanism. If peacekeepers cannot protect the vulnerable or uphold peace in some of the world’s longest-standing conflicts, is it not fair to ask whether such a force should continue to exist in its current form?
Mohamed Zahran
Colombo
