In a statement Thursday, November 30, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said that atrocities "committed by Israel under the pretext of exercising the “right to self-defense” are unethical human rights violations and clearly a war crime that openly ignores the international laws and norms."
It went on to note that "the key obstacles to the solution of the Middle East crisis are the policy pursued by the U.S. which keeps conniving at and abetting Israel’s massacre of civilians while going crazy with military aids for Israel".
Israel’s recent indiscriminate attack on buildings, schools, houses and even medical staff and ambulances in the Gaza Strip is causing denunciation and condemnation of the international community.
205 medical staff were killed while giving medical treatment to the injured, and 55 ambulances were destroyed during operation. 135 health facilities were attacked, and 25 hospitals and 52 medical centers had to discontinue the service.
It is reported that Palestinian casualties, as of November 22, reached more than 14, 532 with 6,000 children and 4,000 women among them, and government buildings, schools, hospitals and many other public buildings lie in ruins.
Convention relative to the protection of civilian persons in time of war stipulates that parties to the conflict should give care to the wounded and sick, patients, and medical staff and facilities as well as medical transportation means and that the emblem of Red Cross and Red Crescent shall be respected as they are the display of protection.
Atrocities committed by Israel under the pretext of exercising the “right to self-defense” are unethical human rights violations and clearly a war crime that openly ignores the international laws and norms.
Israel’s attack on hospitals in the Gaza Strip literally reveals the aggressive and barbarous character of Israel. Hence many countries condemn such acts of Israel as an encroachment upon the principles of human rights and international laws.
What has to be drawn to attention is that Israel’s barbaric massacre of civilians is committed under the patronage, connivance and support of the U.S.
This can be easily seen if we follow the steps of the U.S. since the outbreak of the Middle East crisis.
The U.S. exercised its veto on the draft resolution on providing humanitarian access to Gaza on grounds that it did not mention Israel’s “right to self-defense”, during the emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on October 18. It also frustrated the adoption of the draft resolution during the meeting that followed on October 26, being the only permanent Security Council member who called for a “temporary truce”, rather than an “immediate ceasefire”.
It is again the U.S. that continues with its military assistance to Israel. Despite ever-increasing criticism and denunciation of the international community on Israel’s barbaric massacre, the U.S. is increasingly offering large military assistance to Israel which includes a huge financing plan and provision of such weapons as precision guided weapons, small-caliber bombs and 155mm shells.
The U.S. is hyping up the solution of the Middle East crisis, yet it remains unchanged as ever in its one-sided policy of patronizing and backing up Israel, the “shock brigade” of the U.S. in realizing its strategy towards the Middle East.
All the above prove once again that the key obstacles to the solution of the Middle East crisis are the policy pursued by the U.S. which keeps conniving at and abetting Israel’s massacre of civilians while going crazy with military aids for Israel, and Israel’s impudent behavior perpetrated under the patronage of the former.