Condemnations not enough, action needed to stop Gaza genocide: Syria

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
23 Jun 2024 23:26

Damascus emphasizes the need for the international community to actively act on their condemnation of Israeli atrocities to bring the genocide in Palestine to an end.

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A Palestinian girl stands at the entrance to her family tent at a makeshift tent camp for displaced Palestinians by the Israeli occupation's war on the Gaza Strip in Khan Younis, Gaza, Palestine, June 18, 2024. (AP)

The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the international community to go beyond condemnation and act in favor of Palestine as genocide continues to unfold in the Gaza Strip.

issued an expanded statement, the Ministry urged the international community to "work to stop this genocide and confront the crimes of the Israeli occupation army and its criminal leadership and the fascist doctrine it was raised on," stressing the need to "declare this [Israeli] army a criminal army and hold its government and leadership accountable under international law for their crimes against the Palestinians and humanity."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed concern that each day brings more Palestinian bloodshed, attributing the international community's failure to enforce laws and respect Palestinian rights to emboldening "Israel" to persist in its "genocidal war".

Moreover, the MFA's statement stressed that the statements from "Israel" and their Western allies advocating for the expansion of this war reflect the longstanding concerns voiced by Syria and other nations since 1948. The statement further noted that in response, countries globally, unwilling to see their future generations endure the suffering currently faced by Palestinians, must swiftly intervene to stop "Israel's" violations of international law, humanitarian norms, and UN principles.

Additionally, the statement read, "While we note that the vast majority of the international community has condemned these heinous acts committed by Israel, we have not seen any real impact of these stances on the leaders of the racist Zionist entity, who have made genocide their slogan and goal to continue their occupation of the Palestinian territories and other occupied Arab territories."

The Israeli occupation force persists in committing genocidal acts in Gaza and throughout Palestinian territories, emphasized the Syrian statement, adding that from the end of World War II to the present day, no other crimes have been as horrific as those committed by "Israel".

'Israel' targeted 69% of schools sheltering people in Gaza: UN

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) reported earlier on Sunday that the Israeli occupation bombed 69% of schools housing displaced Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

The Global Education Cluster, established in 2007 and led by UNICEF and the local Child Protection Network, reported that 69% of school facilities where displaced families were seeking refuge were directly attacked or damaged, calling it a "blatant disregard of humanitarian law."

“This blatant disregard of humanitarian law must stop. We need a ceasefire now,” it added.

In a concerning development, the Global Education Cluster has highlighted that over 76% of schools in Gaza require immediate reconstruction or substantial rehabilitation to resume functioning, the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) posted on X.

Despite these challenges, UNRWA affirmed its commitment to providing essential learning activities to students, emphasizing the critical importance of education as a fundamental human right.