NEW YORK CITY: The very foundations of the international legal order, strategic stability and the UN-centric system of global politics are being put to the test, Russia’s minister of foreign affairs said on Tuesday.
It will be “impossible” to resolve the conflicts that are multiplying around the world without getting to their root causes and restoring faith in the ability of nations to join forces in pursuit of the common good and justice for all, he added.
Sergey Lavrov accused the US and its allies of impeding international cooperation and efforts to build “a more just world.”
He added: “They’re taking entire countries and regions as hostages (and) distracting from the necessary joint efforts to regulate conflicts in the Middle East, Africa and other regions, in reducing global inequality, eliminating terrorism, drug trafficking and famine.”
As he chaired a signature meeting of the Security Council, of which Russia holds the rotating presidency this month, Lavrov said: “Not all states represented in this room recognize the key principle of the UN charter of the sovereign equality of all states.
“The United States has long, through the words of its presidents, declared its own exceptionalism. This also ties to Washington’s attitude toward its allies, from whom it demands unquestioning obedience, even to the detriment of their national interests.
“Rule America: That is the essence of the notorious rule-based order, which is a direct threat to multilateralism and international law.”
The high-level open debate, attended by more than 50 states including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait, was titled “Multilateral cooperation in the interest of a more just, democratic and sustainable world order.”
Lavrov accused Western countries of interpreting the UN Charter in a “perverse and selective manner depending on what instructions are handed down from the White House.”
He added: “The sabotage of resolutions on the Middle East can be discussed endlessly. Everyone remembers the statement of the US permanent representative regarding the fact that Resolution 2728 of March 25, demanding an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, was not legally binding.
“In other words, these American rules are more important than Article 25 of the UN Charter.”
Quoting George Orwell’s allegorical novel “Animal Farm,” Lavrov said: “‘All animals are equal but some are more equal than others.’ If you fulfill and obey the will of the hegemon, you’re permitted to do anything you wish. But if you dare defend your national interests, you will be declared a pariah and sanctioned.
“Washington’s hegemonic policy has not changed for decades. Every Euro-Atlantic security arrangement, without exception, has been based on ensuring US dominance. This has included the subjugation of Europe and the containment of Russia.”
Lavrov accused NATO of subjugating the EU, and blamed the crisis in Ukraine — and what he described as the “coup d’etat” of 2014, referencing the protests in the country a decade ago that
culminated in the ousting of President Viktor Yanukovych after he rejected closer integration with the EU — on the “reckless expansion” of the military alliance.
He urged “all those genuinely interested in overcoming the Ukrainian crisis to take into account in their proposals the key issue of the rights of Russians and other national minorities. Silencing it devalues peace initiatives.”
Lavrov said that the West’s “illegal sanctions, multiple protection measures (and) restrictions in access to leading technologies are contrary to true multilateralism, and create serious obstacles to achieving the (UN’s) 2030 agenda” for sustainable development.
He accused Washington of “jettisoning” developing countries, the attributes of a free market economy, fair competition, the inviolability of the practice of private property, the presumption of innocence, and the free movement of people, goods and capital.
“Geopolitics have buried the once-sacred laws of the market for the West,” Lavrov added.
He called for reform of the multilateral system, including changes to the structure of the Security Council, in which he said “there’s a clear overrepresentation of the countries of the collective West,” to eliminate geographic imbalances and enhance the representation of Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Lavrov also advocated changes to the staffing policy of the UN Secretariat, the organization’s executive branch, “to eliminate the overrepresentation of nationals of the West.” The UN secretary-general’s “staff must adhere strictly to the principles of impartiality and neutrality,” he added.
The US representative to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, responded by saying she thought she was “in the wrong room, because this seemed to be a session whining about the United States and the West and I hardly heard the word multilateralism mentioned.”
She accused Russia of eroding confidence in global institutions, and violating the core tenets of the UN Charter, including territorial integrity, respect for human rights, and international cooperation.
She criticized Moscow for hosting a meeting to discuss the ideals of the UN while “actively engaged in a war of aggression against its neighbor. A war that has weaponized food, worsening food insecurity not only for Ukrainians but for tens of millions of hungry people around the world.
“A war that has killed thousands of innocent people, including dozens just last week at a pediatric hospital in Kyiv. A war that has facilitated the unlawful transfer of thousands upon thousands of people from their homes, including children. And a war that has caused Moscow to resort to nuclear brinkmanship and to violate international sanctions obligations.”
Thomas-Greenfield conceded that the UN is not perfect, as it “reflects a deeply imperfect world, one filled with conflict and contradiction. We need an effective United Nations to tackle the kind of borderless challenges that affect us all.”
She said her country is committed to “modernizing and strengthening” the UN to better reflect the priorities of all member states, including developing countries. This commitment, she added, includes working with multilateral development banks to address the economic barriers to achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, and the championing of efforts to reform the Security Council itself, to ensure it incorporates geographically diverse perspectives, including permanent representation of the Global South.
She pledged US commitment to international treaties and conventions, including international humanitarian law and World Trade Organization rules “not, as my Russian counterpart might argue, to keep other nations down but rather to help them build up to ensure that everyone plays
by the rules, and that the rules are fair to everyone, including the developing nations that have for far too long been used and abused by Russia.”
Russia, US accuse each other at UN Security Council meeting of sabotaging world order
https://arab.news/5dtmf
Russia, US accuse each other at UN Security Council meeting of sabotaging world order
- Russian foreign minister says US ‘has long, through the words of its presidents, declared its own exceptionalism’ and ‘demands unquestioning obedience’ from allies
- US condemns Russia for hosting a meeting to discuss the ideals of the UN while ‘actively engaged in a war of aggression against its neighbor’
What to know about the Israeli president’s state visit to Australia
- Netanyahu had been outraged by Australia’s decision four months earlier to join France, Britain and Canada in recognizing a Palestinian state
MELBOURNE, Australia: The stated purpose of Israel President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Australia is to support the Jewish community still reeling from an antisemitic attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach that left 15 dead. But his critics warn his presence undermines rather than repairs social cohesion frayed by the far away war in Gaza.
Protest rallies are expected to follow the president, who performs a largely ceremonial role as head of state, as he travels to Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra over four days starting Monday. Some critics demand he be arrested in Australia on suspicion of inciting genocide in Gaza.
He is the first Israeli head of state to visit Australia since Reuven Rivlin in 2020. Herzog’s father, Chaim Herzog, also visited Australia as Israel’s president in 1986.
Here’s what to know:
The Australian visit comes at a time of extraordinary bilateral tensions
Within hours of two gunmen allegedly inspired by the Daesh group launching their attack in Sydney on Dec. 14 last year, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese, posting on social media “your call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on the antisemitic fire.”
Netanyahu had been outraged by Australia’s decision four months earlier to join France, Britain and Canada in recognizing a Palestinian state.
Netanyahu has repeatedly sought to link widespread calls for a Palestinian state, and criticism of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, to growing incidents of antisemitism worldwide.
Albanese has accused Netanyahu of being “in denial” over the humanitarian consequences of war in Gaza. Netanyahu has branded the Australian a “weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia’s Jews.”
Australian Jews have appealed to both leaders to restore “diplomatic norms” to a bilateral relationship that had been friendly for decades.
Albanese has made clear his government’s invitation to Herzog to make that state visit was the idea of Jewish leaders.
“President Herzog is coming particularly to engage with members of the Jewish community who are grieving the loss of 15 innocent lives,” Albanese said.
“People should recognize the solemn nature of the engagement that President Herzog will have with the community of Bondi in particular, and bear that in mind by the way that they respond over coming weeks,” he added.
Jewish leaders welcome Herzog’s visit
Sydney-based Jewish leader Alex Ryvchin, co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said his community “warmly anticipates” Herzog’s arrival.
“His visit will lift the spirits of a pained community and we hope will lead to a much-needed recalibration of bilateral relations between two historic allies,” Ryvchin said.
“President Herzog is a patriot and a person of dignity and compassion and holds an office that is above party politics. He is a person who has sadly had to comfort families, police and first responders after terrorist attacks many times, and will know how to reassure and fortify our community in its darkest time,” he added.
Ryvchin is one of the Australian Jewish leaders who have accused Albanese’s center-left Labour Party government of not doing enough to curb an increase in antisemitism in Sydney and Melbourne, where 85 percent of Australia’s Jewish population live, since the Israel-Hamas war began in 2023.
Herzog sees opportunity to reset relations
Herzog, a former head of Israel’s centrist Labour Party, now holds a job meant to serve as a unifier and moral compass for all Israelis. A onetime rival of Netanyahu, he has good working relations with the prime minister.
Ahead of his visit, Herzog told The Associated Press that the “primary reason” for the trip was to stand with Australia’s Jewish community as the representative of all Israelis.
“From thousands of miles away in Israel, we feel the deep pain of our Jewish Australian sisters and brothers. I am coming to show them our love and support at this devastating time,” he said.
But Herzog also said the visit is an opportunity “to reinvigorate relations” between Israel and Australia.
“There is a long history of partnership between our two nations and deeply held shared values,” he said, adding that the visit “offers a chance to reignite the longstanding bipartisan support for ties between Israel and Australia.”
“I hope to be able to communicate this message of goodwill and friendship to the Australian people, and dispel many of the lies and misinformation spread about Israel over the last two years,” he said.
Israel’s critics have called for Herzog’s invitation to be withdrawn
“This is one of the most divisive figures in the world. Bringing him to Australia will undermine social cohesion, it will not rebuild it. It will increase division, it will not bring about national unity,” Australian human rights lawyer Chris Sidoti said. Sidoti described the invitation as a ”crazy idea.”
Sidoti was one of three experts appointed by the UN’s Human Rights Council to an inquiry that reported in September last year that Herzog, Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant had incited the commission of genocide in Gaza.
The findings carry no legal consequence and Israel has rejected genocide allegations against the country as antisemitic “blood libel.” Sidoti and other lawyers say Australian police could potentially arrest Herzog on suspicion of inciting genocide, which is a crime under Australian law as well as international law. Australian Federal Police have declined to comment.
A lawmaker in Albanese’s government, Ed Husic, said he was “very uncomfortable” with Herzog’s visit. Husic, a Muslim and vocal critic of Israel’s conduct in Gaza, said he was “concerned that a figure like that doesn’t necessarily enhance social cohesion.”
Some state government lawmakers from Albanese’s Labour Party have said they will join a protest in downtown Sydney on Monday planned by the Palestine Action Group activist organization.
“We need to send a clear message to our government and to the world … we are fundamentally opposed to this tour, which is designed to normalize genocide,” protest organizer Josh Lees said.
Police prepare to use enhanced powers of arrest to control protesters in Sydney
In response to the Bondi shooting, the New South Wales state parliament rushed through legislation increasing police powers to arrest protesters in the aftermath of a declared terrorist attack.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said a heightened police response in Sydney during Herzog’s visit was necessary to ensure safety.
“We will have thousands of mourners and thousands of protesters as well as a visiting head of state all in the same city at the same time. And we’ve got a responsibility to keep people safe in those circumstances,” Minns said.
“Every international city anywhere in the world would apply exactly the same geographical restrictions so that the two groups don’t meet and as a result there’s not a major confrontation,” Minns added.
