Source: World Wide Web WeChat public account
The emergency public meeting of the United Nations Security Council on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, under the impetus of China, the rotating chairman of the Security Council this month, was finally held at 10:00 beijing time on the 16th, and State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi presided over the meeting by video and delivered a speech.
Wang Yi chaired the meeting by video and delivered a speech Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs website
This past weekend, bloody rain and winds hit the Palestinian-Israeli land, and both sides were red-eyed. In the past two days, Israel has dispatched more than 100 warplanes to carry out air strikes against more than 500 targets in the Gaza Strip, destroying the residences of Hamas leaders and razing the office buildings of the Associated Press and Qatari Television in Gaza, while the total number of rockets fired into Israel since the beginning of the war has exceeded 2,500. This war of apparent asymmetry of power has led global public opinion to express more sympathy for the deaths and injuries of innocent Palestinian civilians. And even at a time when the lives of its journalists are in danger, Washington's attitude toward Israel is to "hold the condemnation high and drop it down." "The war must stop. It must stop immediately. Rockets, mortars on one side and air strikes and shelling on the other side must stop at the same time", UN Secretary-General António Guterres stressed at an emergency open meeting of the Security Council on the 16th: "I hope that all parties will take note of this call." ”
In the early morning of the 16th, Israel continued to carry out air strikes on the Gaza Strip. Palestinian firefighters search for survivors in the rubble that day.
According to figures released by the Palestinian Ministry of Health, as of the morning of the 16th local time, the Israeli raid on the Gaza Strip in the past seven days has caused at least 181 Palestinian deaths, including 52 women and 31 children, and as many as 1225 people have been injured. On the same day, Israeli media reported that since the outbreak of the conflict, a total of 10 Israelis have been killed and at least 150 injured.
On May 16, 2021, a survivor was rescued from under the rubble Image Source: Foreign media
As the rotating chairman of the UN Security Council in May, China presided over an emergency public meeting of the Security Council on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict at 10:00 Beijing time on the 16th. Since the outbreak and heating up of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, China has promoted the Security Council to hold urgent consultations on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict twice and drafted a press statement by the president of the Security Council, but due to the obstruction of the US side, it has not reached an agreement on the Security Council's voice. At 10:17 p.m. on the 16th, after the Security Council's emergency video conference began, the Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations tweeted that this was the third emergency meeting of the Security Council this week, and we hoped that the Security Council would "speak with one voice in terms of ceasefire and abandonment of violence."
On the 15th, when Wang Yi had a telephone conversation with Pakistani Foreign Minister Qureshi, he clarified China's position on the current Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Wang Yi said that China has three views: First, the root cause of the deterioration of the situation is the long-term failure to achieve a just solution to the Palestinian issue. Second, it is imperative to cease fire and stop the violence. Thirdly, the fundamental way out of the settlement of the Palestinian question lies in the implementation of the "two-state solution."
On the evening of the 16th, Guterres first spoke at the emergency open meeting of the Security Council chaired by Wang Yi, followed by the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Vennesland. In addition, representatives of 20 countries, including Palestine, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, China, Tunisia, Ireland, Russia, Norway, the United States, Estonia, Vietnam, Mexico, Kenya, the United Kingdom, India, Niger, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, France and Algeria, as well as the Secretary-General of the Arab League, Gheit, will also address the meeting.
At the meeting, Guterres called for an immediate end to the deadly Israeli-Palestinian violence and warned that the war could plunge the region into an "uncontrollable" crisis. Guterres said: "Bloodshed, terror and destruction, this meaningless cycle must stop immediately." "He said that the United Nations is actively involved in the Palestinian-Israeli situation and enables the Gaza Strip to achieve a ceasefire as soon as possible." Leaders on all sides have a responsibility to put an end to inflammatory rhetoric and to defuse rising tensions. ”
Guterres Infographic
"The sudden rekindling of the war in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, accompanied by various terrorist incidents that have occurred since then, shamefully reminds the international community of its dereliction of duty to control this regional crisis", the British "Guardian" commented on the 16th, in fact, there has not been any substantive peace negotiations here for more than a decade, Trump's so-called "deal of the century" has proved to be just a cruel lie, and the efforts currently under way to achieve a ceasefire may only be equivalent to "applying plaster to a long-term festering wound.".
The Israeli military bombing of the media building caused an uproar
On the 16th, Israeli warplanes airstrikes attacked the residence of Hamas leader Yahya Simval in the southern Gaza Strip, and there were no reports of casualties for the time being. According to Reuters, Simval, 59, was elected leader of Hamas in 2017 and blacklisted by Israel for "targeted killings." The Palestinian Information Office in Gaza said Israel also bombed the Palestinian Ministry of Labour and Development building in Gaza that day.
The most intense shock and indignation of the international community was the IDF attack on the Gaza Media Building on the 15th. The Associated Press, Al Jazeera, Kuwait National Television and many other internationally renowned media have offices in the building. Israel warned before the airstrikes that three heavy missiles fired by the Israeli Air Force hit the 13-story building after all tenants were safely evacuated from the building. Middle Eastern media said that although the Israeli army notified the industry owners of the evacuation in advance, they only gave an hour of time, in addition to international media agencies, there are also some corporate offices and some ordinary residents in the building, and it is impossible to complete the relocation work in one hour.
The owner of the bombed building has asked officials to "give 10 more minutes" (video screenshot)
The Associated Press's offices, which were originally on the top floor of the destroyed building, have used excellent visibility for the past week to film Israeli airstrikes on Gaza 24 hours a day. Just a day before the bombing, Associated Press reporter Akram wrote in a story that the AP office was "the only place he felt was safe in Gaza." He wrote that the Israeli military knew the coordinates of the high-rise building, so there was less chance that the bomb would blow it up.
Israel's bombing of the Gaza International Media Building caused an uproar in international public opinion. A spokesman for turkey's presidential palace said Israel's approach was aimed at covering up its war crimes. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres was "deeply disturbed" and "disappointed" by the Israeli army's bombing of the International Media Building. Al Jazeera acting director-general Sowag called the attack a "clear action" by Israel to prevent journalists from covering the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Simon, executive director of the National Press Club, said: "The IDF deliberately targeted media facilities with the aim of disrupting reports of the suffering of the people of Gaza. ”
The associated press and other media outlets were bombed in the building Source: Foreign media
The Israeli military spokesman responded on the 16th that Hamas was "active" in the bombed building, saying that Hamas used "a highly advanced technological tool inside the building" in the battle, but for confidentiality reasons, he could not provide evidence. Israel also accused Hamas of "using journalists as a human shield." Associated Press President Pruitt countered that the AP had been in the building for 15 years and that "there was no indication that Hamas had been active in the building." According to White House news, US President Biden had a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on the 15th. In a phone call with Netanyahu, Biden reiterated his strong support for Israel's right to self-defense but expressed concern about journalists' safety on the ground.
Biden's phone call with Abbas on the 15th was the first time since he took office. Biden expressed support for the dignity, security, freedom and economic opportunities that Palestinians deserve, while stressing that Hamas must stop firing rockets at Israel. In the call, Abbas urged the U.S. government to intervene to get Israel to stop its attacks on the Palestinians.
Biden Infographic
According to the New York Times, the intensification of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has deepened the internal rift of the US Democratic Party. Staunch support for Israel is the policy of successive U.S. administrations, including the Biden administration, but for the Democratic left, the Palestinians' fight for rights bears similarities with Americans' revolt against police brutality and the U.S.-Mexico border immigration crisis. On the 13th, a group of democratic progressive lawmakers broke the unity of the party in a rare way, and gave a fierce speech in the House of Representatives, accusing Biden of ignoring the plight of the Palestinians and "standing on the side of the occupiers." Meanwhile, most Democratic lawmakers still support Israel, with Florida Democrat Rep. Deutsch telling the House: "Please don't be fooled by the wrong choice: Israel or Hamas?" If I had to choose between terrorist organizations and our democratic allies, I would support Israel. ”
Israel will assess ceasefire pressure
On the 15th and 16th, protesters from All over the world, including Paris, Tokyo, Washington, Melbourne, Madrid, and Mexico City, poured into the streets or marched to the local Israeli embassy on weekends to hold pro-Palestinian demonstrations. "BuzzFeed" news network reported on the 15th: "Organizers of the London protests estimate that 100,000 people joined the Palestinian demonstrations on Saturday."
Israel's "Jerusalem Post" reported on the 16th that under the strong international pressure of calling for a ceasefire, Netanyahu will convene a security cabinet meeting attended by the defense minister, the chief of the general staff, and the head of intelligence in the afternoon to decide the next countermeasures. For now, whether to continue the attack on Gaza or press the pause button of the conflict has made Netanyahu hesitate. It is difficult to "cut the grass and remove the roots" of Hamas without using ground forces to invade Gaza, and the deep penetration of ground troops into Gaza will inevitably cause greater casualties.
Yin Gang, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that Israel's political circles and military did not expect the scale of Hamas's rocket attack to be so large, and he personally believed that Hamas's determination to go to an all-out war with Israel was "not made independently." Yin Gang believes that once the war begins, Israel will fight to the end. Israel will, to the extent possible, wipe out Hamas's living forces and infrastructure, including rocket production facilities and storage sites.
Tian Wenlin, a professor at the School of International Relations at Chinese Min University, told the Global Times that the possibility of a large-scale regional war triggered by the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is unlikely. Since the upheavals in the Middle East in 2011, the Arab world has undergone earth-shaking changes, with forces advocating relations with Israel prevailing and the Palestinian-Israeli issue marginalized. He believes that how long and how intense the conflict lasts depends mainly on Israel's considerations and assessment of the effectiveness of the conflict. For Netanyahu, the conflict is very good for him to build a "tough guy" image at home and win more voters.
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Wang Yi presided over the unannounced emergency open meeting on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict
On 16 May 2021, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi presided over an emergency open meeting of the UN Security Council on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The meeting was held by video and attended by the Foreign Ministers of Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia, Norway, Ireland and Algeria, the Deputy Foreign Ministers of Russia, representatives of the Arab League, and the Permanent Representatives of Israel, the United States, Estonia, Vietnam, Mexico, Kenya, the United Kingdom, India, niger, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and France to the United Nations. UN Secretary-General António Guterres and UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Winnisland briefed the meeting.
Wang Yi said that the escalating conflict between Israel and Palestine has caused a large number of casualties, including women and children, and the situation is very critical and severe, and it is urgent to stop the fire and stop the violence. The international community must act urgently to prevent the situation from deteriorating further, to prevent the region from falling into further instability and to safeguard the lives and safety of the local people.
Wang Yi pointed out that the Palestinian issue has always been the core of the Middle East issue. The Middle East is unstable, and the world is unstable. Only a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the question of Palestine can truly achieve lasting peace and universal security in the Middle East region. In view of the current tensions, China advocates:
First, a ceasefire and a ceasefire is a top priority. China strongly condemns acts of violence against civilians and once again urges both parties to the conflict to immediately cease military and hostile actions and to take actions that worsen the situation, including air strikes, ground attacks and rocket launches. In particular, Israel needs to exercise restraint.
Secondly, humanitarian assistance is urgently needed. We urge Israel to earnestly comply with its international treaty obligations, to lift the blockade and siege of Gaza as soon as possible, to guarantee the security and rights of civilians in the occupied Palestinian territories and to facilitate access for humanitarian assistance. The international community wants to provide humanitarian assistance to Palestine, and the United Nations must play a coordinating role in making every effort to avert a serious humanitarian catastrophe.
Thirdly, international support is an obligation. The Security Council must take vigorous action on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, reaffirm its firm support for the "two-State solution" and promote the situation to cool down as soon as possible. The Council has so far been unable to speak unanimously because of one State's obstruction. We call on the United States to shoulder its due responsibilities, take a just stand and support the Security Council in playing its due role in de-escalating the situation, rebuilding confidence and achieving a political settlement. We also support the United Nations, the League of Arab States, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and other countries with important regional influence to play a more active role in forging broader and more effective efforts to promote peace.
Fourth, the "two-state solution" is the fundamental way out. In the final analysis, the Palestinian-Israeli issue should seek a long-term solution on the basis of the "two-state solution." Justice is late, but it cannot be absent forever. China supports palestine and Israel in resuming peace talks as soon as possible on the basis of the "two-State solution" and establishing at an early date a Palestinian State with full sovereignty and independence based on the 1967 borders and East Jerusalem as its capital, so as to fundamentally realize the peaceful coexistence of Palestine and Israel, the harmonious coexistence of the arab and Jewish peoples and the lasting peace in the Middle East.
Wang Yi stressed: China is a sincere friend of the Palestinian people. Under the current circumstances, Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward China's "four-point proposal" on resolving the Palestinian issue in 2017, which is of great practical significance. Since China assumed the presidency of the Security Council, it has made it a top priority to deal with the current tension in the Middle East and has promoted the Security Council's consideration of the Palestinian issue on many occasions. We will continue to intensify our efforts to persuade peace and promote talks and to fulfill our responsibilities as President of the Council. We reiterate our invitation to Palestinian-Israeli peace figures to come to China for dialogue, and we also welcome the direct talks held in China by the negotiators of Palestine and Israel.
In conclusion, Wang Yi said that whether the United Nations and the Security Council can make a difference is watched by the people of the world and recorded by history. We should and must stand united on the side of peace and justice, on the side of a just conscience, on the side of historical correctness, practice genuine multilateralism, and promote an early comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the question of Palestine.
The participants thanked the Chinese side for presiding over this emergency open meeting and generally called on Israel and Palestine to immediately cease fire and stop the violence, abide by relevant Security Council resolutions and international law, and promote the cooling down of the situation. All parties believe that the members of the Security Council and the international community should make a concerted voice to advance the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks process in a just manner and strive to promote the peaceful coexistence of Palestine and Israel.
Screenshot of the report on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs