RETHINKING THE RED LINE: REIMAGINING ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE FACE OF MASS ATROCITIES
RETHINKING THE RED LINE: REIMAGINING ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE FACE OF MASS ATROCITIES

Author(s): Andreea-Diana PANAIT
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Politics, Social Sciences, Civil Society, Sociology, Studies in violence and power
Published by: Carol I National Defence University Publishing House
Keywords: Voluntary Veto Restraint; mass atrocities; French-Mexican Initiative; Israeli-Palestinian Conflict; Responsibility to Protect (R2P); Responsibility Not to Veto (RN2V);
Summary/Abstract: This article investigates the concept of voluntary veto restraint within the United Nations Security Council(UNSC) in contexts of mass atrocities, focusing on the 2015 French-Mexican initiative advocating for a non-binding declaration to limit veto use in such crises. This approach seeks to merge a symbolic commitment to human rights with the practical circumvention of the legal complexities inherent in amending the UN Charter. Employing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a case study, the article analyzes the potential of voluntary veto constraints to facilitate more timely and effective UNSC interventions. It further examines the underlying legal frameworks and institutional mechanisms, including the Accountability, Coherence, and Transparency (ACT) group’s 2015 Code of Conduct. The concept of “Responsibility Not to Veto” (RN2V) is emphasized, arguing for the ethical obligation of permanent members to abstain from veto use when confronting mass atrocities. Ultimately, this analysis underscores the need for a more responsive and effective UNSC aligned with Responsibility to Protect (R2P) principles.

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