The United States was criticized on Friday during two-day meetings of senior G20 diplomats for its opposition to an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
The public criticisms first surfaced from Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, whose country hosted the annual G20 meeting.
Vieira condemned the UN Security Council's "paralysis" on the ongoing conflicts" in Gaza and Ukraine, adding that the situation was costing "innocent lives."
Open mic
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and European Union High Representative for Foreign Policy and Common Security Josep Borrell participated in a session that was supposed to remain closed to the media.
Senior diplomats exchanged their views on several geopolitical issues.
However, a few journalists were accidentally able to listen to the proceedings of the session without the knowledge of the Brazilian hosts because the microphones were not turned off.
Australia, a close US ally, supported an immediate ceasefire, warning of "further devastation" that would result from the Israeli war on Gaza.
"We say again to Israel — do not go down this path," said Australian Finance Minister Katy Gallagher, who was representing Canberra at the meeting. "This would be unjustifiable."
South African envoy Naledi Pandor criticized world leaders for "allowing impunity to hold sway."
She said: "We failed the people of Palestine."
Naledi said that if the international community had rallied behind the principles put forward in the UN Charter, "the tragedy in Palestine would not have lasted over three months."
The statements appeared conflicting with last year's G20 meeting in India, where Blinken sought to unite global powers to denounce Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Attendees were more receptive to his demand for adherence to the United Nations Charter and the principles of state sovereignty.
However, Blinken told reporters that despite solid differences on an immediate ceasefire, the G20 is united mainly regarding the goals of the conflict.
He said, "We're joined in having the shared objectives in this moment of getting hostages out, getting an extended humanitarian ceasefire in, along with more humanitarian assistance, and ending the conflict."
"There may be differences over tactics, and there may be differences over the Security Council resolution," said the Secretary, adding that "if we're trying to focus on actually getting results, actually making a change, making a difference, we think what we're focused on is the best way to do that."
Brazilian FM Vieira announced that "every (minister) that addressed the issue voiced support" for a two-state solution, "and it was a lot" of ministers.
He stressed that all members of the group highlighted fears of the war in Gaza and the danger of expanding conflict in the Middle East.
Two-state solution
Borrell had urged Vieira to use his closing statement "to explain to the world that at the G20, everybody was in favor" of a two-state solution, with an independent Palestine co-existing with Israel.
"It was a strong request for a two-state solution," Borrell told journalists.
He added: "Everyone here, I haven't heard anyone oppose that."
"The common denominator is that there's not going to be peace, there's not going to be sustainable security for Israel unless the Palestinians have a clear political prospect to build (their) own state."
He said he hoped to see a proposal from the Arab world to that effect in the coming days.
