Why no international action in the Middle East crisis?

Violence is on the rise in the Middle East, generating a greater demand for an international response for a peace settlement.

As violence mounts in the Middle East, and the death toll rises, one must wonder when the presence of the UN will show up on the stage and when will this violence end.

There is now an urgent need for the UN to respond and take action in the situation. The U.S. and the international community need to recognize the reality of the situation, and place all personal political agendas aside and take action with an aim to reach a peace settlement.

The international community was quick to denounce the Israeli attacks that killed nearly 60 people, mostly women and children. The UN also denounced those attacks, but somehow responsibility for the situation seems to end up in the lap of Hezbollah at all times, which has been asked several times to disarm itself. But aren't there a number of UN conventions that Israel is not in compliance with either? The international community needs to come to terms with both sides and bring them to the negotiation table and reach a diplomatic resolution.

There must also be recognition of the fact that the current war is between Hezbollah and Israel, not Lebanon and Israel as two sovereign entities, and if there is to be peace between the two, negotiation will have to be between these two powers. Israel and the U.S. must recognize the context and understand that they must negotiate with those who they label as "terrorists." Nonetheless, if Hezbollah is a terrorist organization or it is not, reality is that they are engaged in this conflict and a peace settlement can only be achieved by talking to them, not by constant accusations and denial of coming to terms with them.

People are dying and political rigidity on both sides needs to stop. Hezbollah needs to sit on the table with Israel and both need to negotiate a deal, and the international community must encourage peace and mediate the process, rather than discourage Israel from negotiating peace with a so-called "terrorist organization." It is now time for peace, not more bloodshed.