China accused the United States on Friday of “ignoring” of Muslims’ plight following Washington’s blocking of a proposed United Nations Security Council meeting to discuss ongoing violence between Israelis and Palestinians. Meanwhile, the US and human rights organizations have charged China with genocide against Muslims and ethnic minorities in Xinjiang province.
Beijing’s declaration came after the US canceled a meeting planned for Friday to address the Middle East’s continuing conflict. Diplomats finally decided to postpone the meeting until Sunday, according to the Times of Israel. China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying responded by telling reporters that the US is “on the opposite side of the international community” and has refused to recognize the Palestinian struggle.
China blames U.S. for ‘ignoring’ Muslim sufferings after Beijing itself accused of committing genocide
“What we can feel is that the U.S. keeps saying that they care about the human rights of Muslims…. but they have ignored the suffering of the Palestinian people,” Hua told The Times of Israel.
“The U.S. should realize that the lives of Palestinian Muslims are equally precious,” she said.
China’s remarks, a senior White House administration official told Newsweek on Friday, “shamefully exploit” the ongoing conflict while ignoring its own atrocities against Uighur Muslims, a mainly Turkic Muslim minority.
“The [People’s Republic of China] is shamefully exploiting the current situation in Israel for its typical ‘whataboutism’ cheap shots, even as China continues a genocide against Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang,” the official said.
China is accused of interning over a million Uighurs and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang, forcing them to work against their will in hazardous conditions.
According to US and foreign officials, citizens have been subjected to torture, sterilization, rape, forced labour, and political indoctrination in the camps. China has also threatened ethnic minorities with a brazen hacking program that targets social media platforms, smartphones, and other technology.
Earlier this month, the Group of Seven – comprised of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States – issued a statement expressing concern over “deeply concerned about human rights violations and abuses in Xinjiang.”
China has consistently denied the accusations and accused Western countries of interfering in its domestic affairs.
This week, Beijing has been actively interested in debates about the Middle East’s recent escalation of aggression. China said Monday it was prepared to play a “constructive role” in resolving the region’s conflict, while encouraging the United Nations to work toward de-escalating the conflict.
The US defended both sides, stating that “Israel has the right to defend itself and respond to rocket attacks,” while “the Palestinian people also have the right to security, just like the Israelis.”
“We call on all sides to exercise restraint and remain calm,” State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters Tuesday. “The United States will continue to engage with senior Israeli officials and the Palestinian leadership in the days and weeks ahead.”
The Associated Press confirmed that seven people were killed in Israel, including a six-year-old boy and a soldier. According to the Associated Press, Palestinian authorities have set the death toll in Gaza at 119, with 830 injured.
