Doha, May 28 (QNA) - For nearly eight decades, United Nations peacekeeping forces have played a vital role in supporting stability and protecting civilians in conflict zones around the world, helping countries move from violence toward peace.

The world marks the International Day of UN Peacekeepers on May 29 each year, commemorating the establishment of the first UN peacekeeping mission in 1948. This year's observance is held under the theme "Invest in Peace."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said more than 50,000 UN peacekeepers are currently deployed in some of the world's most dangerous regions to protect civilians and support political solutions. He also paid tribute to nearly 4,500 peacekeepers who have lost their lives since 1948.

Commenting on this year's theme, Assistant Professor at the Department of International Affairs at Qatar University Dr. Abdullah Bandar Al Otaibi told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the world today faces a difficult balance between military deterrence and investing in peace.

He stressed that investing in conflict prevention and addressing the root causes of crises is essential, adding that greater efforts are needed in mediation, development, and tackling poverty, discrimination, inequality, and injustice.

Dr. Al Otaibi also highlighted growing divisions within the UN Security Council, warning that political polarization and the use of the veto have weakened the effectiveness of international peacekeeping efforts and obstructed responses to major crises.

He emphasized that despite these challenges, peacekeeping forces remain essential to preventing wider instability and chaos, calling for stronger international cooperation, clearer mandates for peacekeeping missions, and increased support and resources.

On the legal protection of peacekeepers, Dr. Al Otaibi noted that around 4,000 peacekeepers have lost their lives since UN peacekeeping operations began. He said the 1994 Convention on the Safety of UN Personnel lacks effective accountability mechanisms, stressing the need for an international court specialized in crimes committed against peacekeepers. 

Commenting on the performance of peacekeeping missions in the Middle East amid continued Israeli violations, Dr. Al Otaibi expressed regret over what he described as ongoing Israeli violations against the Palestinian people, calling the issue one of the most controversial files within the international security system.

He noted that the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has repeatedly come under Israeli attacks without any real deterrent from the United Nations or meaningful action capable of influencing the situation.

He added that during the war in Gaza, Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon included attacks on UNIFIL headquarters and injuries to international peacekeepers, despite such actions constituting a serious violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

He added that all have become accustomed in the international system to Israel being above the law, and this represents one of the biggest problems not only for the region but also for the world, because some actors behave as though they are beyond accountability, creating space for what can be described as political recklessness.

For his part, Professor of International Affairs, Security and Defense at Qatar University Dr. Ali Bakir said Israel's willingness to target peacekeeping forces and UN institutions in Palestine, Lebanon, and elsewhere can be explained by several factors.

Speaking to QNA, he added that the most prominent factor is Israel's entrenched belief that violating or ignoring international law carries no meaningful deterrent cost, even when UN facilities are targeted or international missions are obstructed, especially given the Western military and security support and the political and diplomatic cover provided to it.

He continued that the erosion of the international system's credibility over recent decades, due to successive wars and growing polarization among major powers, has further encouraged Israel to challenge these institutions.

Despite criticism, Dr. Bakir stressed, UN peacekeeping missions remain among the world's most important conflict-management tools.

He highlighted their contributions in protecting civilians in conflict zones, supporting ceasefire agreements, facilitating humanitarian aid delivery, and assisting post-conflict elections and institution-building efforts.

At the same time, he pointed to several weaknesses, including limited mandates that restrict decisive intervention during escalating violence, insufficient funding and equipment, slow Security Council decision-making due to geopolitical rivalries, and criticism directed at some missions for failing to prevent massacres or adequately protect civilians.

Dr. Bakir added that peacekeeping forces today face increasingly complex challenges, including the changing nature of warfare involving cross-border militias, drones, and digital technologies, as well as direct attacks against peacekeepers themselves.

He also warned of the growing impact of misinformation campaigns and digital incitement, which undermine trust in UN missions among local populations. In addition, peacekeepers are now expected to address mass displacement, collapsing services, epidemics, and climate-related crises alongside traditional security responsibilities, while operating under severe psychological and operational pressures.

He stressed that international divisions weaken the effectiveness of UN missions because political backing becomes fragmented and inconsistent.

Looking ahead, Dr. Bakir said the success of peacekeeping operations in the coming decade requires rethinking the entire philosophy of peacekeeping, not merely improving its tools.

He emphasized the need to reform the UN Security Council, arguing that effective peacekeeping depends on unified international political will.

He also called for more flexible and proactive mandates focused on civilian protection, greater investment in technology such as artificial intelligence, data analysis, early warning systems, and cybersecurity, as well as stronger partnerships with local communities.

Dr. Bakir further stressed the importance of advanced training in human rights, crisis management, cultural mediation, and hybrid warfare, in addition to ensuring sustainable funding and linking peacebuilding efforts to development by addressing poverty, marginalization, corruption, and the absence of justice. (QNA)