Russia Asserts: Israel as an Occupying State Has No Right to Self-Defense

• Financial

During the extraordinary session of the General Assembly on Palestine, Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Vasiliy Nebenzya, stressed the immediate necessity of ending the bloodshed in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Russia's strong call for a cessation of hostilities is driven by the profound concern that the crisis could escalate and engulf the entire Middle East. The region is already grappling with complex geopolitical challenges, and a prolonged conflict between Israelis and Palestinians threatens to exacerbate tensions and disrupt stability.

Nebenzya's plea underscores Russia's commitment to a peaceful resolution and its recognition of the conflict's potential regional repercussions, underscoring the urgent need for a ceasefire. "We call on the warring parties to stop the bloodshed and give the mediators an opportunity to work on a diplomatic solution, including the immediate release of the hostages." Sooner or later, that road will have to be followed.

The only question is how many innocent people will die during that time," said Nebenzya.

Nebenzya: Israel is an occupying power

Vasiliy Nebenzya emphasized that Israel, in its capacity as an occupying power, lacks the right to claim self-defense in the Gaza conflict.

This assertion finds validation in the 2004 findings of the International Court of Justice, underscoring the importance of respecting international legal standards and obligations in the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli crisis.

He pointed out that with this way of waging war against civilians, Israel will only bring global anger upon itself and that will not end well. "I must note the hypocrisy of the US and its allies who, in other, completely different situations, call for respect for humanitarian law, form commissions for investigation, introduce sanctions against those who actually use force as a last resort to stop long-term violence.

And today, looking at the horrific destruction in Gaza far greater than anything they angrily criticize in other regional contexts, the attacks on civilian targets, including hospitals, the deaths of thousands of children and the horrific suffering of civilians under a total blockade, they remain silent .

The only thing they do is claim that Israel supposedly has the right to self-defense, although, as an occupying power, it does not have that right, which is confirmed by the advisory conclusions of the International Court of Justice from 2004," said Nebenzya.

Simultaneously, he underscored Russia's recognition of Israel's security imperative. However, he emphasized that genuine security can solely be achieved through a fair resolution to the Palestinian issue, aligned with the established UN Security Council resolutions.

This reiterates the importance of adhering to international consensus and diplomatic efforts in addressing the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.