The Demise of the League of Nations, the Birth of the United Nations
The League of Nations was meant to end warfare by negotiating settlements for international disputes. Born in the aftermath of the First World War, which had been touted as “the war to end all wars,” the League of Nations was envisioned as an international body that would supersede national governments and offer collective security to the world by punishing aggression. Despite these intentions, however, the League fell by the wayside in the 1930s, when its inability to deal with international crises such as the Italian invasion of Abyssinia exposed it as ineffective.
At the end of the Second World War, the United Nations was created, similar in conception to the League of Nations. The United Nations has played an important role in trying to mediate the Arab-Israeli dispute, passing a number of resolutions aimed at achieving a fair and balanced peace. It has also played a role, through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), in assisting the Palestinian Arabs in refugee camps. The Arab-Israeli conflict has shown the potential of the United Nations for focusing attention on world issues, but it has also highlighted its limitations in achieving a lasting peace.
