China says US veto paralyzing UN Security Council over Israel

Beijing urges Israel to immediately cease military actions, hostilities against civilians

ANKARA:

China criticized the United States for its role in the Middle East tensions, adding that its veto has paralyzed the Security Council.

In a statement issued on late Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry urged a complete cease-fire by Israel in Palestine.

"What US does amid the Palestine-Israel conflict is deeply disappointing. Is this the human rights US touts around when Palestinian people suffer, or is it an excuse to serve US self-interest?" Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said in short statement posted on Twitter.

"Is this what US calls rule-based international order?" the spokesman questioned.

In a press briefing earlier in the day, Lijian said US rather than taking proactive measures to forestall Palestine-Israel conflict, stands ready to fuel the tension.

"The US has been isolated at the Security Council unprecedentedly and is standing on the opposite side of mankind's conscience and morality," he said.

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He was referring to the UNSC's previous efforts for a statement demanding an immediate cease-fire which have all been blocked by the US.

"The international community is deeply upset by how the US has behaved in the Palestine-Israel conflict. People can't help but ask, is this the diplomacy featuring so-called human rights and values the US claims to champion?

"Why has the US been so callous about the Palestinian people's human rights while it keeps talking about upholding Muslims' human rights?" he asked.

Lijian also accused Washington for its favoritism and said the US only cares about its interests, not the merit of the matter itself.

"Isn't it just using human rights as a pretext? The US opposition has held back the Security Council from taking actions on the Palestine-Israel conflicts, is this what the US calls rules-based international order?" he added.

He was skeptical over reports that US President Joe Biden supports a cease-fire in the Israel-Palestine crisis and said Biden's saying that the US supports a cease-fire is not enough.

He reassured that his country will continue to push the Security Council to fulfill its duty.

China and Norway requested another UNSC meeting on Tuesday to discuss Israel's continued offensive on the Gaza Strip.

The death toll in Gaza reached 217 as of late Tuesday, including 63 children and 36 women, in addition to around 1,500 injuries, according to figures from the Palestinian Health Ministry.