Exclusive - China, Russia Lead Campaign to Avoid Politicization of Coronavirus in Syria

A man walks in empty Souk al-Hamidieh as restrictions are imposed as measure to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Damascus, Syria March 24, 2020. (Reuters)
A man walks in empty Souk al-Hamidieh as restrictions are imposed as measure to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Damascus, Syria March 24, 2020. (Reuters)
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Exclusive - China, Russia Lead Campaign to Avoid Politicization of Coronavirus in Syria

A man walks in empty Souk al-Hamidieh as restrictions are imposed as measure to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Damascus, Syria March 24, 2020. (Reuters)
A man walks in empty Souk al-Hamidieh as restrictions are imposed as measure to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Damascus, Syria March 24, 2020. (Reuters)

China and Russia have used the new coronavirus pandemic as an opportunity to lead efforts at the United Nations to lift American and European sanctions against a number of countries, including Syria. They have sized on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ recent call for a nationwide ceasefire in Syria to demand sanctions relief.

In a letter to Guterres, they called for lifting the “unilateral coercive measures, which are illegal and blatantly violate international law and the Charter of the United Nations” and for avoiding the politicization of the coronavirus.

“The destructive impact of said measures at the national level, plus their extraterritorial implications, together with the phenomena of over-compliance and the fear for ‘secondary sanctions’, hinder the ability of the national governments to, among others, have regular access to the international financial system or to free trade; thus undermining ongoing efforts of national government to attack the COVID-19, especially in relation to the effective and timely procurement of medical equipment and supplies, including testing kits and medications,” read the letter that was signed by representatives of China, Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Syria, North Korea and Cuba

“In addition, the sanctions also have a direct negative impact on, among others, the human rights to lifer, health and food of the peoples subjected to them. Ultimately, these measures also affect the essential cooperation and solidarity that should prevail among nations,” said the letter, a copy of which was obtained by Asharq Al-Awsat. The representatives therefore, called on Guterres to immediately lift the “illegal” and oppressive sanctions.

The letter was released days after a visit paid by Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu to Damascus, where he met regime leader Bashar Assad to address the Russian leadership’s regional and international efforts to break the siege and lift sanctions against Syria.

Beijing is believed to be using the war against the coronavirus to achieve political gains on the international scene, taking advantage of the “absence” of the American role in fighting the pandemic. Washington, in return, has been criticizing China over the outbreak, accusing it of “disinformation”.

A high-ranking western official told Asharq Al-Awsat that the letter to Guterres holds no executive power because the sanctions against Syria are imposed by the US Treasury and the European Commission.

“Russia and China are better off providing humanitarian and medical assistance and exerting pressure to reach a comprehensive ceasefire instead of addressing the UN,” he said.

Washington and Brussels don’t appear to be abandoning the economic sanctions approach against the regime and its officials and allies. Efforts are also underway to speed up the implementation of the Caesar Act that would impose sanctions against parties seeking to contribute in Syria’s reconstruction before a credible political process is implemented. The act is expected to take effect in mid-June.



Israel Warfare Methods 'Consistent With Genocide', Says UN Committee

Israel's warfare practices in Gaza "are consistent with the characteristics of genocide", according to the United Nations Special Committee - AFP
Israel's warfare practices in Gaza "are consistent with the characteristics of genocide", according to the United Nations Special Committee - AFP
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Israel Warfare Methods 'Consistent With Genocide', Says UN Committee

Israel's warfare practices in Gaza "are consistent with the characteristics of genocide", according to the United Nations Special Committee - AFP
Israel's warfare practices in Gaza "are consistent with the characteristics of genocide", according to the United Nations Special Committee - AFP

Israel's warfare in Gaza is consistent with the characteristics of genocide, a special UN committee said Thursday, accusing the country of "using starvation as a method of war".

The United Nations Special Committee pointed to "mass civilian casualties and life-threatening conditions intentionally imposed on Palestinians", in a fresh report covering the period from Hamas's deadly October 7 attack in Israel last year through to July, AFP reported.

"Through its siege over Gaza, obstruction of humanitarian aid, alongside targeted attacks and killing of civilians and aid workers, despite repeated UN appeals, binding orders from the International Court of Justice and resolutions of the Security Council, Israel is intentionally causing death, starvation and serious injury," it said in a statement.

Israel's warfare practices in Gaza "are consistent with the characteristics of genocide", said the committee, which has for decades been investigating Israeli practices affecting rights in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Israel, it charged, was "using starvation as a method of war and inflicting collective punishment on the Palestinian population".

A UN-backed assessment at the weekend warned that famine was imminent in northern Gaza.

Thursday's report documented how Israel's extensive bombing campaign in Gaza had decimated essential services and unleashed an environmental catastrophe with lasting health impacts.

By February this year, Israeli forces had used more than 25,000 tonnes of explosives across the Gaza Strip, "equivalent to two nuclear bombs", the report pointed out.

"By destroying vital water, sanitation and food systems, and contaminating the environment, Israel has created a lethal mix of crises that will inflict severe harm on generations to come," the committee said.

The committee said it was "deeply alarmed by the unprecedented destruction of civilian infrastructure and the high death toll in Gaza", where more than 43,700 people have been killed since the war began, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.

The staggering number of deaths raised serious concerns, it said, about Israel's use of artificial intelligence-enhanced targeting systems in its military operations.

"The Israeli military’s use of AI-assisted targeting, with minimal human oversight, combined with heavy bombs, underscores Israel’s disregard of its obligation to distinguish between civilians and combatants and take adequate safeguards to prevent civilian deaths," it said.

It warned that reported new directives lowering the criteria for selecting targets and increasing the previously accepted ratio of civilian to combatant casualties appeared to have allowed the military to use AI systems to "rapidly generate tens of thousands of targets, as well as to track targets to their homes, particularly at night when families shelter together".

The committee stressed the obligations of other countries to urgently act to halt the bloodshed, saying that "other States are unwilling to hold Israel accountable and continue to provide it with military and other support".