My Take | China speaks for conscience of the world at UN over horror in Gaza
Disgraceful veto of draft ceasefire resolution by US coincides with arrest warrants by International Criminal Court for Israeli pair on war crimes
The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday disclosed it has issued warrants for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence chief Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity being committed during Israel’s offensive in Gaza. The charges include allegations of Israel’s use of starvation as a weapon and directing attacks against civilians.
It was long overdue but better late than never. Of course, the two Israeli leaders will never face justice and be put on trial. But the arrest warrants are still enormously significant because they not only repudiate all the lies and propaganda spread by Israel but also implicate the full complicity of the United States in arming Israel to commit suspected war crimes and crimes against humanity.
That complicity extends to other pro-Israeli Western governments that have also provided weapons and/or diplomatic cover for Israel.
Meanwhile, the application by the ICC chief prosecutor for similar arrest warrants against three Hamas leaders became irrelevant as they have been killed by Israel.
Three days before, a United Nations committee investigating the situation of the Palestinian people’s human rights presented its report to the General Assembly. It concluded that Israel’s actions in Gaza are “consistent with the characteristics of genocide”.
This came after two previous reports, by Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, concluded Israel’s actions met the threshold of genocide as defined under international law. It was in this context on Wednesday that China lashed out at the US for vetoing the latest UN ceasefire effort for Gaza, accusing Washington of bringing global governance to an “all-time low”.
Fu Cong, China’s ambassador to the UN, slammed Washington for casting the sole vote to veto a UN Security Council draft resolution for an “immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” in Gaza as well as the release of all Israeli hostages.
