Why the UN is in crisis, plus the death of the two-state solution

Is the UN still relevant? The organisation faces numerous
unresolved conflicts, a cash crisis, deep polarisation among its
members, a bloated bureaucracy and the waning interest of its
biggest backer, the US.


Venetia Rainey speaks to Richard Gowan, veteran UN watcher and UN
director for the US think tank International Crisis Group. He
says the body is “rotting from the top” and questions if parts of
it will survive another 10 years.


Plus, a wave of Western countries including the UK, Canada,
France and Australia have recognised the state of Palestine in
the hope of preserving the two-state solution. But that option is
long dead, according to The Telegraph's chief foreign affairs
commentator, David Blair.


Read David Blair's
analysis: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/09/20/starmers-middle-east-madness-in-recognising-palestine/


https://linktr.ee/BattleLines 


Contact us with feedback or ideas: 


battlelines@telegraph.co.uk 


@venetiarainey 


@RolandOliphant


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.