Gaza: China Calls on Israel to Halt Military Action
Iraqi Shiite political-religious leader Muqtada al-Sadr accused European countries of hypocrisy
As the likelihood of a large-scale war in the Middle East increases, China has called on Israel to stop fighting and massacring civilians in Gaza. Meanwhile, Beijing expressed “deep concern” over Israel’s August 10 attack on a school made into a shelter in Gaza City that killed more than 100 people.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian reiterated Beijing’s strong condemnation of “all actions that harm civilians.” China, the diplomat emphasized, opposes all actions that violate international law: “We call on Israel to heed the will of the international community, put an immediate end to the fighting, do everything possible to protect civilians, and avoid ‘further escalation of conflict in the region,’” Lin said.
For Arab countries, the calls and declarations of Western countries make a mockery of international public opinion. Prominent Iraqi Shiite political and religious leader Muqtada al-Sadr called “unconscionable lies” a joint declaration by three European countries – France, Germany. and Britain – advising Iran “not to heat up tensions and risks of escalation.”
“Above all, these countries must end global support for the brutal Zionist terrorist entity (Israel), including their unlimited support with arms, ammunition, and any other material or moral support.” al-Sadr said.
The conflict is beginning to weigh heavily on the economy of the Jewish state: on Monday, August 12, the international rating agency Fitch downgraded Israel’s credit rating from A+ to A, motivated by the deterioration of geopolitical risks due to the continuation of the war in Gaza and maintained a “negative” outlook on the rating, thus hypothesizing a possible further downgrade. “We do not rule out,” Fitch analysts wrote in a statement, “that the conflict in Gaza could last until 2025, and there is a risk of it spreading to other fronts.”
Fears that the conflict in Gaza could escalate into a wider war between Israel, Lebanon, and Iran intensified after the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and then Hezbollah military commander in Beirut, Fuad Shukr.
