Topic: 2026 – Clarification of Article 51
Country: Lebanon
Delegate Name: Reema Al-Taha
Article 51 is an addition to the Charter Of The United Nations that recognizes a state’s inherent right of individual or collective self defense. States may use this force if an armed attack occurs against them, until the UN Security Council takes the measures necessary to maintain international peace and security. Article 51 is one of the two exceptions to the general prohibition on the use of force in Article 2(4) of the Charter. The other exception is when force is authorized by the security council under chapter Vll. Because it allows states to lawfully use force, Article 51 is central to the UN Collective Security System. In recent years, one of the most controversial developments in the interpretation of Article 51 has centered on the “willing or unable” doctrine, which is used to justify military measures on the territory of other states, including counter-terrorism operations.
The September 9 Israeli strike against Hamas leadership in Qatar reflects the reliance on the “unwilling or unable” doctrine, in interpreting Article 51 on the UN charter. Although Article 51 permits self defense after an armed attack, it does not authorize force on another state’s territory against non-state actors. The unwilling or unable doctrine, developed through state practice, argues that such force is lawful if its territorial state cannot or will not prevent a threat. In February of 2025, Mexico noted that since 2021 , Article 51 has been invoked on at least 78 occasions, a marked increase compared to previous years.
Article 51 was drafted during the San Francisco Conference on October 24, 1945 with the entry into force of the UN Charter on October 24,1945. Beginning in the 1970s Israel has wrongfully invoked Article 51 in order to justify unjust military operations into Lebanon as Article 52 does not allow for the indiscriminate or unlimited force Israel has been using against The Lebanese Republic (Lebanon). The UN Security Council has condemned Israeli military operations as Israel has claimed to be acting in self-defense but the amount of damages suffered by Lebanese citizens takes away the validity of Israel acting in self-defense as Lebanon has never and shouldn’t be considered a threat to the State of Israel, any claims otherwise are false.
Hostile member-states have begun to frequently and wrongfully invoke Article 51 to attack peaceful countries such as Lebanon. Countries in peacetime are forced into wartime by power-hungry countries, this goes to highlight the need for increased regulations on the use of Article 51 as it’s evident that currently member-states are abusing it.
Lebanon has never formally invoked Article 51 to justify unnecessary military action like other countries have. Lebanon’s leaders instead condemn Israeli and non-state actors such as Hezbollah’s that have invoked Article 51 to justify unjust actions including their ground invasions, airstrikes and even rocket fire use to takeover the great Lebanese Republic. These actions are unfortunately still occurring and have begun to threaten lebanese sovereignty as well as violate international law as multiple ceasefires have been broken on Israel’s and Hezbollah’s behalf. While Lebanon hasn’t invoked Article 51 in the name of self-defense; we have informally utilized the UN Security Council to condemn Israeli and non-state actors actions in order to assert Lebanese right to self defense.
Three Clarifications are needed involving the disproportionate use of Article 51 to put hostile member-states in check and to better protect member-states that have fallen victim to attacks in the name of countries acting in self-defense. Firstly, full-scale invasions and or widespread aerial/ground attacks are not protected by Article 51 as those actions are disproportionate when acting solely in self-defense. Secoundly, Another state intervening when another state is unable to control their territory should always be considered a violation of State sovereignty unless the state being protected has given explicit written permission to the other state to protect land not owned by them. Lastly, Article 51 is a temporary right and should not be invoked for a longer than a year. The Lebanese republic believes these clarifications are necessary to prevent member-state’s from overstepping as peace should be promoted by us, not wrongful attacks that will lead to unnecessary war.
