China condemns US veto of call for immediate ceasefire at UN

China has criticised the US for vetoing a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. 

Beijing said the US move sent the “wrong message” and gave the “green light to the continued slaughter.” 

The White House said the resolution, proposed by Algeria, would “jeopardise” talks to end the war. 

The US has now put forward its own temporary ceasefire resolution and has warned Israel not to invade the southern city of Rafah – where more than 1 million people are sheltering. 

There has been widespread condemnation of the US decision to block Algeria’s resolution as fighting continued in Gaza. It was backed by 13 of the 15 members of the UN Security Council – with the UK abstaining.

China’s UN ambassador Zhang Jun said the American claim that the motion would interfere with ongoing diplomatic negotiations was “totally untenable”.

“Given the situation on the ground, the continued passive avoidance on an immediate ceasefire is nothing different from giving a green light to the continued slaughter,” he said.

“The spill-over of the conflict is destabilising the entire Middle East region leading to rising risk of a wider war,” he added.

“Only by extinguishing the flames of war in Gaza can we prevent the fires of hell from engulfing the entire region.”