U.S.draft setting preconditions for ceasefire in Gaza "unacceptable," says Chinese envoy

Representatives vote on a draft resolution during a UN Security Council meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, on March 22, 2024. A Chinese envoy said Friday that by setting preconditions for a ceasefire in Gaza, a U.S. draft resolution essentially green-lights continued killing, which is "unacceptable." (Eskinder Debebe/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, March 22 (Xinhua) - A Chinese envoy said Friday that by setting preconditions for a ceasefire in Gaza, a U.S. draft resolution essentially green-lights continued killing, which is "unacceptable."

During his explanatory statement following the Security Council's vote on the Palestine-Israel issue draft resolution, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, said that "an immediate ceasefire is the basic premise" for saving lives, expanding humanitarian access, and preventing further conflict.

Zhang underscored that any action by the Security Council "should withstand the test of history and the scrutiny of moral conscience."

The ambassador pointed out that the U.S. draft was "unbalanced in many aspects," especially concerning Israel's recent repeated declarations of planning military attacks on Rafah.

"The draft did not clearly oppose such actions, sending a very wrong signal with serious consequences," the ambassador added.

"Based on a responsible attitude towards upholding justice, the United Nations Charter, and the dignity of the Security Council, and also due to the concerns and strong dissatisfaction from Arab countries towards the draft, China, along with Algeria and Russia, cast a vote against it," Zhang said.

"More than 160 days have passed since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict. In the face of a human tragedy in which more than 32,000 innocent civilians have lost their lives and millions are suffering from famine, the most urgent action to be taken by the council is to promote an immediate, unconditional, and sustained ceasefire," said the ambassador.

He stressed that this is the "universal call" of the international community, the decision taken by the emergency special session of the General Assembly a few months ago, and the solemn appeal by the UN secretary-general to the council while invoking Article 99 of the Charter.

"The council has dragged its feet and wasted too much time in this regard," the envoy pointed out.

Zhang recalled that the U.S. introduced its own draft resolution after vetoing on Feb. 20 the overwhelming consensus among council members on an immediate ceasefire.

"Over the past month, the draft has undergone several iterations and contains elements that respond to the concerns of the international community. But it has always evaded and dodged the most essential issue, that is, a ceasefire," he stressed.

The final text remains "ambiguous" and "does not call for an immediate ceasefire," said Zhang. "Nor does it even provide an answer to the question of realizing a ceasefire in the short term."

The ambassador noted that members of the council have now before them another draft resolution that was "the result of collective consultations" among elected members of the council.

"This draft is clear on the issue of a ceasefire, in line with the correct direction of the council's action, and of great relevance. China supports this draft. We hope that the members of the council will reach agreement on this basis as soon as possible and send a clear signal calling for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the fighting."

Zhang noted that like other members, China has from the outset called for the immediate release of all hostages, a repeated demand in Security Council resolutions 2712 and 2720.

"We welcome the mediation efforts by Egypt, Qatar, and others to this end. And we hope that all detainees will be released at an early date."

The ambassador said that China rejects the accusations by the U.S. and Britain against China's voting position.

"Those are groundless accusations. If the U.S. were serious about a ceasefire, it wouldn't have vetoed time and again multiple council resolutions, and wouldn't have taken such a detour and played a game of words while being ambiguous and evasive on critical issues," he said.

"If the U.S. is serious about a ceasefire, then please vote in favor of the other draft resolution clearly calling for a ceasefire, so that a ceasefire can be finally and immediately achieved, the Palestinians' sufferings ended, and hostages released at an early date. For the U.S. at the current stage, what is most important is not words, but actions," he added.

The ambassador pledged that China will continue to work with council members and the international community to play "a responsible and constructive role" in order to achieve a ceasefire and put an end to the fighting, alleviate the suffering, implement the two-state solution, and promote a comprehensive, just, and lasting solution to the question of Palestine.

Representatives vote on a draft resolution during a UN Security Council meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, on March 22, 2024. A Chinese envoy said Friday that by setting preconditions for a ceasefire in Gaza, a U.S. draft resolution essentially green-lights continued killing, which is "unacceptable." (Evan Schneider/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)