Russian International Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday accused america of hypocrisy and double requirements in its method to the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and Ukraine’s Donbas area. At a press convention in New York, Lavrov referred to current contradictory feedback by US officers about respecting the territorial integrity of UN member states whereas persevering with to acknowledge Israel’s sovereignty over the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.
To spotlight the inconsistency, Lavrov first learn out an announcement from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during which he justified Israel’s management of the Golan as important to its safety in opposition to threats from Syria and Iranian-backed militias. The Russian minister then quoted Blinken’s personal phrases concerning the significance of Ukraine regaining management of Russia-backed separatist areas within the Donbas for its safety.
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“In follow, the Golan is essential to Israel’s safety,” Blinken mentioned CNN in 2021. “So long as Assad is in energy in Syria, so long as Iran is current in Syria, militia teams backed by Iran, the Assad regime itself, these all pose a big safety menace to Israel, and in follow it stays in command of the Golan in that state of affairs, I feel, of actual significance for Israel’s safety. Authorized questions are one thing else.”
The Donbas is essential for Russian safety… Authorized points are one thing else
Lavrov responded to criticism of Russia’s occupation of the Donbas area by rereading Blinken’s assertion and inserting “the Donbas” as an alternative of “the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.”
“The Donbas is essential for Russian safety,” he mentioned when requested to touch upon respect for territorial integrity. “So long as Zelenskyy is in energy in Ukraine, so long as NATO has a presence in Ukraine, militia teams backed by NATO, the Zelenskyy regime itself – all these pose a big safety menace to Russia, and in follow its management of the Donbas For my part, that state of affairs stays of actual significance for Russian safety. Authorized questions are barely totally different. And if the state of affairs in Ukraine had been to alter over time, we might take a look at that. However we’re nowhere close to that but.”
After studying the conflicting statements, he pointedly informed reporters: “That’s the reply to your query.”
The Golan Heights had been captured by Israel from Syria in 1967 and annexed in 1981, a transfer that was rejected as unlawful underneath worldwide legislation. The US acknowledged Israeli sovereignty over the territory in 2019 underneath the administration of then US President Donald Trump.
Lavrov then criticized the US, saying that they method the problems of Syria’s occupied Golan Heights and Ukraine’s Donbas area from utterly totally different factors of view. Critics have typically identified what they see as inconsistencies in US international coverage, particularly on the subject of territorial disputes. In addressing Russian involvement within the Donbas, the US has been fast to invoke worldwide legislation, but acknowledges Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights and each day violations of worldwide legislation in occupied Palestine.
This, it’s argued, goes in opposition to a number of UN resolutions, main many to consider that the US can simply select when to uphold worldwide norms, particularly on the subject of Israel. Regardless of being a infamous violator of UN resolutions and worldwide norms, Washington has lengthy regarded the apartheid state as a staunch ally.
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