Algeria Denounces “Double Standards” in Application of International Law at UNSC
On Thursday, Algeria condemned from New York the “double standards” evident in the application of international law, particularly regarding the occupied Palestinian territories, where the Zionist authorities exhibit a “blatant disregard” for such laws.
“The international community must come together to ensure full compliance with international law. Double standards and selective enforcement of these principles are unacceptable,” declared Toufik Laid Koudri, political coordinator at Algeria’s permanent mission to the United Nations, during a Security Council meeting.
At the session focused on “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question,” the Algerian diplomat emphasized that “the law must be upheld universally without exception to protect the rights of all individuals regardless of their nationality or the conflict they find themselves in.”
“only by holding all parties to the same legal standards, can we hope to bring an end to the suffering and build a just and lasting peace,” he argued.
Highlighting that consistency is a “fundamental principle” of international relations, Koudri reaffirmed that “Cherry-picking attitude toward international law, particularly international humanitarian law, is not acceptable.”
“We firmly believe that the law is the cornerstone of international law. Without adherence to international law, we risk descending into a ‘jungle’. where might makes right and injustice prevails,” he warned, lamenting that “this is precisely what we witness today in the occupied Palestinian territories.”
“What we see unfolding before us is not the rule of law, but rather an environment where no rules are respected and basic human dignity is disregarded,” he stated, condemning the “new rules” imposed in Gaza by the occupying Zionist forces, which permit “the blockade of humanitarian access,” the “massacre of children, women, and the elderly,” and the “killing of humanitarian workers, UN staff, journalists, and medical staff.”
In this context, he noted that while the Council easily reached consensus on the release of prisoners of war, it failed to achieve a “crucial” agreement on “an immediate and permanent ceasefire.”
For the Algerian diplomat, “the failure to impose this essential measure prolongs the pain and devastation in Gaza.”
“International humanitarian and human rights law guarantees the rights of individuals in captivity. ensuring their dignity and human treatment. Moreover, the principle of non-reciprocity, a cornerstone of international humanitarian law, prohibits revenge or retaliation. Even during times of conflict, the protection of human dignity must remain a priority. Suffering cannot justify another suffering,” he reminded the Council.
However, Koudri expressed his “great regret” that the occupying Zionist power displays a “blatant disregard” for these fundamental principles.
He cited evidence of this in the more than 9,500 Palestinians currently detained in Zionist prisons, over 3,400 of whom are held in administrative detention without charge or trial.
“Why are these individuals arrested? What legal grounds justify their detention?” he questioned.
He also highlighted the suspension, since October 7, 2023, of all cooperation between the occupying Zionist authorities and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which has resulted in the disappearance of Palestinian detainees.
Koudri remarked, “one of the most grotesque violations involves the Israeli practice of holding the bodies of dead Palestinians .” He went on to explain that “before October 7, The number of such bodies was estimated at approximately 400. some dating back as far as the 1980s. Today, the number exceeds 600.
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