China accuses US of shielding Israel, blocking Gaza ceasefire efforts

At the United Nations, Chinese diplomats question why the Security Council has been ‘unable to stop this human tragedy’

Reading Time:3 minutes

China’s deputy permanent representative to the UN Geng Shuang attends a Security Council meeting at the United Nations headquarters in New York on September 4. Photo: Reuters

Published: 7:21pm, 18 Sep 2024

The United States has repeatedly “shielded” Israel over its war in Gaza, China said during a series of statements at the United Nations in New York, where it also urged Israel to immediately end its occupation of Palestinian territories.

Over two days of meetings, Chinese diplomats accused Washington of blocking ceasefire efforts, adding that Israel ending its “unlawful presence” in Palestine was “not an option” but a “legal obligation”.

During a UN Security Council (UNSC) briefing on Monday, China’s deputy permanent representative Geng Shuang questioned why the council, despite being responsible for maintaining international peace and security, had been “unable to stop this human tragedy, the worst of its kind to this day”.

Geng said Israel’s military operations had “never stopped” despite mounting ceasefire calls, as civilian deaths in Gaza surpassed an “alarming” and “unbelievable” 41,000. Most of those killed have been women and children, according to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk.

“Had the US not shielded one side time and again, multiple resolutions of this council would not have been flagrantly rejected and defied,” Geng stated, referring to Washington’s vetoing of three previous ceasefire resolutions at the UNSC.

As Israel’s most prominent defender on the world stage, Washington has transferred billions of dollars worth of bombs and fighter jets to Israel since October 7, when Hamas gunmen attacked southern Israel, as tensions exploded over continued Israeli occupation, the blockade of the Gaza Strip, expanding illegal settlements and rising violence.