By Riyaz ul Khaliq
ISTANBUL (AA) – The war machine “running at full throttle” in Gaza is a test for “paralyzed” UN Security Council to uphold international rule of law, fairness and justice, China told the world body.
“With the paralysis of the (Security) Council, the war machine is running at full throttle,” Ambassador Fu Cong told the council on Monday after UN deputy special coordinator Muhannad Hadi briefed the UN body on the situation in the Middle East, including in Palestine.
“The council cannot afford to pause and wait. It must seize every minute and take all necessary actions at the earliest opportunity,” said the Chinese ambassador.
Israel has launched a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip since October last year, killing more than 44,230 people, most of them women and children, and injuring over 104,600.
The second year of genocide in Gaza has drawn growing international condemnation, with figures and institutions labeling the attacks and blocking of aid deliveries as a deliberate attempt to destroy a population.
Last week, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its brutal war on Gaza.
Without naming the US directly, the Chinese ambassador said: “Due to the negative attitude of some country, the council’s past performance did not pass the (Gaza) test.”
“We call on the individual country to face up squarely to its responsibilities and support the council in using all options in its toolbox to take further actions to achieve an immediate cease-fire and restore peace,” said Fu.
Emphasizing an “immediate, unconditional, and permanent cease-fire,” he said: “Because of the single use of veto by the United States, the council’s efforts for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza suffered another setback.”
Last week, Washington once again blocked any move to end fighting in Gaza by vetoing a council resolution on cease-fire.
“In the days that followed, hundreds more civilians lost their lives in Gaza. With each passing day, the situation is worsening and moving into an even more dangerous direction,” said the Chinese envoy.