How the international system's failure led to October 7

In Ahmed Abdel Rabou's book A World Without Law, Politics Without Principles, the author contends that international law is insufficient to address contemporary crises like the conflict in Gaza where over 74,000 Palestinians have been killed in less than three years. The book traces the evolution of international relations from European dominance and world wars to the establishment of the United Nations (UN) and other global organizations.

Abdel Rabou adopts a realist perspective, viewing the international system as inherently anarchic with international law serving as a tool for powerful states to dominate others. He highlights the selective application of rules, such as restrictions on Israel not necessarily applying to Palestine or Iran to North Korea. The author traces the intellectual roots of modern internationalism to Immanuel Kant's 1795 treatise Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical Sketch, which proposed an international body for peace and stability.

The Congress of Vienna in 1815 was an early attempt to implement this idea. The 20th century is described as the "age of international organizations" due to the aftermath of the two world wars, which led to the establishment of the League of Nations in 1920, followed by the UN in 1945. However, Abdel Rabou argues that the UN, despite its role in resolving conflicts, is primarily a platform for diplomatic exchange and expressing political positions rather than enforcing international law.

He also examines the unequal application of international law, citing instances involving Uyghur Muslims in China, Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, Palestinians in Gaza, and African populations in civil wars. The book delves into historical events, including the abolition of the Ottoman Caliphate in 1924 by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and the rise of modern nationalism among the Axis powers, which contributed to policies of persecution and genocide leading to the Holocaust.