Peter T. C. Chang

Opinion | Global South shows it’s ready to challenge unfair US-led world order

The recent G77 summit calling for global governance reform and South Africa’s ICJ genocide case against Israel underline developing nations’ distaste for – and willingness to act against – the Western-centric global order

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Peter T. C. Chang

Published: 5:30am, 16 Feb 2024

With its diminishing soft power, the US remains resolved to preserve its dominance by leveraging hard power. Meanwhile, nations in the Global South must persevere in transforming the current world order through peaceful means.

Harvard University president Claudine Gay has resigned after a firestorm of controversies, including claims of her inadequate response to antisemitism on campus, yet the Gaza crisis remains a hot-button issue at the university. Administrators are now wrestling with the daunting task of safeguarding freedom of speech amid growing concerns about rising antisemitism and Islamophobia.

On the battlefield, there is no restraint on inflammatory rhetoric, as extremists from both sides have vowed the total destruction of the other. For instance, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s citation of a biblical reference to Amalek was widely condemned as an explicit call for the extermination of the Palestinian people.

At the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Netanyahu’s invocation emerged as evidence in South Africa’s case accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. Ruling on the case last month, the United Nations’ highest judiciary body did not call for a ceasefire, but instead ordered Israel to take measures preventing any acts of genocide.

As anticipated, the ICJ’s ruling has had minimal impact on Israel’s strategy. Netanyahu persists in rejecting a two-state solution and continues to wage a relentless military assault.

Following the US air strikes in Iraq and Syria, in retaliation for the loss of three American soldiers in Jordan, the Gaza crisis is in danger of escalating into a wider regional conflict.