Fu Cong: The tragedy in Gaza is unimaginable and unbelievable in the 21st century

Within the first ten days of October, Chinese Ambassador Fu Cong has spoken out strongly in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) against the criminal behaviour, war crimes and atrocities of the Israeli regime as well as against the support, connivance and protection afforded to it by the United States.

On October 10, speaking at the UNSC Briefing on the Lebanese-Israeli Situation, Ambassador Fu stated:

“A few hours ago, the IDF [“Israeli ‘Defence’ Force”] attacked UNIFIL [UN peace keepers] positions and an observation tower, causing injuries to UNIFIL personnel. China expresses grave concerns and strong condemnation. UNIFIL carries out its peacekeeping tasks under the mandate from the Security Council resolution. Any deliberate attacks on peacekeepers constitute a severe violation of international humanitarian law and Security Council Resolution 1701.”

He went on to make three points:

First, since October last year, the series of destabilising events that have taken place in the Middle East have resulted in more than 100,000 civilian casualties and left millions of people displaced. The cleanup work will take a decade or so. What’s more, the trauma brought by conflicts will be a lingering nightmare for generations to come. The Middle East cannot afford a full-scale war.

Second, achieving a ceasefire must be an overarching priority. We note that all parties in Lebanon have already made a unanimous call for an immediate ceasefire. The Arab League has also issued an explicit appeal. It is clear who holds the key to ending this crisis.

Third, there is no time to lose for the Council to act. Clearly referring to the United States. he said: “We urge a certain country to stop its passive procrastination, cover-up, and connivance. Instead, it should act responsibly and play a constructive role in order to prevent further destabilisation of the situation.”

The previous day, during the UNSC Briefing on the Humanitarian Situation in Gaza, he noted:

Two million people in Gaza are struggling under the blockade and fire, and one out of every fifty people has suffered violent death. The authority of international law seems to exist in name only for certain states, and the bottom line of international humanitarian law has been repeatedly shattered. The tragedy in Gaza is unimaginable and unbelievable in the 21st century. Like many Council members, China is shocked, disappointed, and outraged. However, we do not believe that the Palestinian people are destined to suffer. Nor do we believe that the Council as a collective body has exhausted all efforts to maintain peace.

We cannot accept that death and hunger have become the new normal in Gaza. Gaza is already an inferno on Earth. For the people there, humanitarian aid is the hope for survival. The role of UNRWA [the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East] is indispensable and irreplaceable. China firmly opposes Israel’s smearing and suppression of UNRWA and is gravely concerned about the relevant Knesset [Israeli parliament] bills targeting the Agency.

We cannot allow the conflict to drag on and expand. We cannot just sit back and watch the entire Middle East plunging into an all-out war. The harsh reality has proved that winning a war does not necessarily mean having peace, military might alone cannot guarantee lasting security, and the obsession with force only creates more killings and hatred. Israel must cease all military operations in Gaza and put an end to the collective punishment of the people in Gaza. The intensified settlement activities and violence in the West Bank were a de-facto obliteration of the foundation of the two-State solution, and must stop immediately. Lebanon must not become the next Gaza.

We cannot ignore the marginalisation of the Council. There is broad consensus among the vast majority of Council members on the Palestinian-Israeli issue. After repeated vetoes of the Council’s demand for an immediate ceasefire, the US put forward a ceasefire initiative last May, claiming that Israel had accepted it and requesting the Council’s support for an agreement through diplomatic talks. However, over the past five months, the so-called diplomatic efforts seemed to be going in circles, and more time and patience have led to greater civilian casualties and more reckless military adventurism.

Days earlier, on October 2, Ambassador Fu addressed a previous UNSC Briefing on the Lebanese-Israeli Situation. He said: “I would like to reiterate China’s resolute support for the Secretary-General’s work, and we oppose Israel’s groundless accusations against him,” and continued:

“Following the remotely operated and simultaneous detonation of thousands of communications devices in Lebanon, Israel carried out several rounds of large-scale airstrikes in southern and eastern Lebanon, and launched ground offensive and military incursion into Lebanon yesterday. Israel also intensified airstrikes against Syria.”

He then carefully and precisely added: “Iran has concluded a series of military attacks on the military and security targets of Israel, and sent correspondence to the Security Council explaining its position”, and noted that China condemns “all violence and attacks against civilians.” [Emphasis added by us.]

“Gaza has become a hell on Earth. In the meantime, in Lebanon, there has been massive destruction of civilian facilities, thousands of casualties, and more than one million people displaced from their homes, including a large number of Palestinian refugees.”

Finally, he addressed himself to the United States, as well as a tiny number of other countries, including Britain: “With the current situation hanging by a thread, any passive procrastination would be irresponsible, and any rhetoric of condoning further military adventurism would send a wrong message and could cause serious consequences. We hope major countries with influence will adopt a sincere and responsible attitude and earnestly play a constructive role to avoid further escalation of the situation.”

The following articles were originally published on the website of China’s Permanent Mission to the UN.

Remarks by Ambassador Fu Cong at the UN Security Council Briefing on the Lebanese-Israeli Situation

Oct 10 (China’s Permanent Mission to the UN) — President, 

I thank France for having requested this emergency meeting. My thanks also go to Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo and Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix for their briefings. 

Recent weeks have witnessed a sharp rise in tensions between Lebanon and Israel. A few hours ago, the IDF attacked UNIFIL positions and an observation tower, causing injuries to UNIFIL personnel. China expresses grave concerns and strong condemnation. UNIFIL carries out its peacekeeping tasks under the mandate from the Security Council resolution. Any deliberate attacks on peacekeepers constitute a severe violation of international humanitarian law and Security Council Resolution 1701. Such acts must stop immediately. We demand that these attacks be investigated and those responsible be held to account. Measures must be taken to prevent any re-occurrence. We reiterate that all parties to the conflict must effectively guarantee the safety and security of all UN personnel and assets, including UNIFIL. 

President, 

The gravity of the current situation is clear, as is the right direction to deescalation. I would like to emphasize the following three points. 

First, since October last year, the series of destabilizing events that have taken place in the Middle East have resulted in more than 100,000 civilian casualties and left millions of people displaced. The cleanup work will take a decade or so. What’s more, the trauma brought by conflicts will be a lingering nightmare for generations to come. The Middle East cannot afford a full-scale war. The conflict cannot continue to expand. All parties must keep in mind the interest of maintaining regional peace and stability, deal with the current situation in a calm, rational, and responsible manner, and make sincere efforts towards breaking the cycle of violence. 

Second, achieving a ceasefire must be an overarching priority. We note that all parties in Lebanon have already made a unanimous call for an immediate ceasefire. The Arab League has also issued an explicit appeal. It is clear who holds the key to ending this crisis. We urge Israel to set aside its obsession with the use of force, make the right political decision, stop violating Lebanon’s sovereignty and territory integrity, and end its adventurous behavior that could drag the region into a new catastrophe. 

Third, there is no time to lose for the Council to act. The vast majority  of Council members have long since reached a broad consensus on deescalating the conflict, achieving a ceasefire, stopping the violence, and seeking a diplomatic solution. We urge a certain country to stop its passive procrastination, cover-up, and connivance. Instead, it should act responsibly and play a constructive role in order to prevent further destabilization of the situation. 

I thank you, President.

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Remarks by Ambassador Fu Cong at the UN Security Council Briefing on the Humanitarian Situation in Gaza

Oct 9 (China’s Permanent Mission to the UN) — President,

I thank Algeria and Slovenia for requesting this meeting, and thank Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini and Ms. Lisa Doughten for their briefings. 

Since October last year, the Gaza conflict and the situation in the Middle East have been at the forefront of the Council’s work. Yet the situation has not improved so far. Instead, it has continued to deteriorate. Two million people in Gaza are struggling under the blockade and fire, and one out of every fifty people has suffered violent death. The authority of international law seems to exist in name only for certain states, and the bottom line of international humanitarian law has been repeatedly shattered. The tragedy in Gaza is unimaginable and unbelievable in the 21st century. Like many Council members, China is shocked, disappointed, and outraged. However, we do not believe that the Palestinian people are destined to suffer. Nor do we believe that the Council as a collective body has exhausted all efforts to maintain peace.

We cannot accept that death and hunger have become the new normal in Gaza. Gaza is already an inferno on Earth. For the people there, humanitarian aid is the hope for survival. The role of UNRWA is indispensable and irreplaceable. China firmly opposes Israel’s smearing and suppression of UNRWA, and is gravely concerned about the relevant Knesset bills targeting the Agency. We urge Israel to stop weaponizing humanitarian assistance, lift the blockade of Gaza and the restrictions on humanitarian access, and cooperate fully with the UN and other humanitarian agencies. 

We cannot allow the conflict to drag on and expand. We cannot just sit back and watch the entire Middle East plunging into an all-out war. The harsh reality has proved that winning a war does not necessarily mean having peace, military might alone cannot guarantee lasting security, and the obsession with force only creates more killings and hatred. Israel must cease all military operations in Gaza and put an end to the collective punishment of the people in Gaza. The intensified settlement activities and violence in the West Bank were a de-facto obliteration of the foundation of the two-State solution, and must stop immediately. Lebanon must not become the next Gaza. China calls on all parties to exercise restraint and achieve a ceasefire. We urge Israel in particular to stop taking actions that would further escalate the situation. 

We cannot ignore the marginalization of the Council. There is broad consensus among the vast majority of Council members on the Palestinian-Israeli issue. After repeated vetoes of the Council’s demand for an immediate ceasefire, the US put forward a ceasefire initiative last May, claiming that Israel had accepted it and requesting the Council’s support for an agreement through diplomatic talks. However, over the past five months, the so-called diplomatic efforts seemed to be going in circles, and more time and patience have led to greater civilian casualties and more reckless military adventurism. 

It is necessary to take a deep look at the current impasse and reaffirm some self-evident principles. Security Council resolutions are binding for all states, as stipulated in the UN Charter, and there is no room for distortion or interpretation. In this regard, the implementation of international humanitarian law is a non-negotiable obligation and cannot be used as a bargaining chip. The principles of international law are universally applicable to all states. Double standard and selective application would set a terrible precedent with wide ranging negative consequences. 

We certainly cannot lose faith in genuine diplomacy. In this regard, we urge the country concerned to prioritize the saving of lives, show political will, take an impartial stand, give up its political calculations, and exert all available influence on the relevant party. At the same time, we support the Council in utilizing all options in its toolbox to take further actions to end the war and restore peace as soon as possible.

I thank you, President.

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Remarks by Ambassador Fu Cong at the UN Security Council Briefing on the Lebanese-Israeli Situation

Oct 2 (China’s Permanent Mission to the UN) — President,

I congratulate Switzerland on assuming the Presidency of the Security Council for this month and thank Slovenia for its work as the President last month. I thank France for requesting this emergency meeting. I also thank Secretary-General Guterres for his briefing. I would like to reiterate China’s resolute support for the Secretary-General’s work, and we oppose Israel’s groundless accusations against him.

President,

Over the past two weeks, the situation in the Middle East, Lebanon in particular, has taken a sharp turn for the worse. Following the remotely operated and simultaneous detonation of thousands of communications devices in Lebanon, Israel carried out several rounds of large-scale airstrikes in southern and eastern Lebanon, and launched ground offensive and military incursion into Lebanon yesterday. Israel also intensified airstrikes against Syria. Iran has concluded a series of military attacks on the military and security targets of Israel, and sent correspondence to the Security Council explaining its position. China is deeply concerned and extremely worried about the current grave situation and the possibility of further developments. We call for earnest respect for the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of all states, reiterate our opposition to all acts that violate the basic norms governing international relations, and condemn all violence and attacks against civilians. We share the position of the United Nations that any Israeli crossing into Lebanon violates the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon and contravenes the provisions of Security Council Resolution 1701.

Since last October, the cycle of violent conflicts has been repeating itself in the Middle East. Israel, in total disregard of the call of the international community for an immediate ceasefire, has been stubbornly advancing its military operations, resulting in the protraction and expansion of the conflict. At present, an all-out war is on the brim of breaking out. At this critical juncture, any inflammatory statements and provocative actions are extremely dangerous. They could easily lead to miscalculations and chain reactions, escalate the situation, and even make it completely out of control. We urge all parties, in particular Israel, to exercise restraint and refrain from any action that could lead to further escalation of the situation.

President,

The conflict has caused an unprecedented humanitarian disaster. As we have seen, Gaza has become a hell on Earth. In the meantime, in Lebanon, there has been massive destruction of civilian facilities, thousands of casualties, and more than one million people displaced from their homes, including a large number of Palestinian refugees. We call on all parties to the conflict to respect the red lines of international humanitarian law and to earnest ensure the protection of civilians. We support the efforts of the UN humanitarian system to take urgent actions to ease the humanitarian situation in Palestine and Lebanon. China reiterates the importance of respecting the neutrality of UNIFIL and the importance of effectively ensuring the safety and security of the UN peacekeepers. UN assets and personnel should not be the target of armed attacks.

President,

The Security Council bears the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. Under the current circumstances, the Council must take urgent actions and be united in making clear and unequivocal demands: an immediate ceasefire must be established in Gaza; the deescalation of the Lebanese-Israeli situation must be advanced to stop the cycle of violence; every effort must be made to prevent the spread of the fighting; and the parties concerned must return to the track of political and diplomatic solutions. With the current situation hanging by a thread, any passive procrastination would be irresponsible, and any rhetoric of condoning further military adventurism would send a wrong message and could cause serious consequences. We hope major countries with influence will adopt a sincere and responsible attitude and earnestly play a constructive role to avoid further escalation of the situation.

I thank you, President.