US, Russia engage in heated exchange at UN Security Council session on Gaza

NEW YORK

The US and Russian representatives to the UN exchanged heated words Tuesday during a Security Council session on Gaza.

In his remarks at the session, titled "Protection of civilians in armed conflict," Russian envoy Vassily Nebenzia accused his "Western colleagues" of allowing Israel to use hunger as a method of war.

Nebenzia slammed the US for vetoing multiple UN efforts towards a cease-fire in the Gaza conflict, which he said would "prevent mass starvation" in the Palestinian enclave.

He said an alternative resolution drafted by the US does not "contain an appeal for a cease-fire and is aimed at broadening the UN umbrella to the acts of Israel.”

"This is not an alternative. This is yet another license to kill," he added.

US deputy ambassador Robert Wood said: "I would just remind everyone in this room that the Russian Federation is a country that doesn't contribute to resolving humanitarian crises. It creates them."

Wood said the Ukrainian people have to "live under the savage, barbaric bombings and killings that they have to deal with every single day.”

"So Russia is in no position, frankly to criticize any country while it continues to flagrantly and relentlessly violate the UN Charter," he added.

"So when I hear Russia speak about its concerns about civilian infrastructure, etc., it is hard to take what it says seriously."

Nebenzia then took the turn to tell the US envoy: "You should be ashamed of comparing the situation in Ukraine to Gaza."

The US destroyed Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria and it "should not be lecturing us," he said.

"So before you next try to see a mote in my eye, you should see the beam in yours," he added.

Wood again took the floor to address the Russian envoy's remarks, saying he did not make a comparison between Ukraine and Gaza.

"I was pointing out what Russia has been doing. And so I just have a quick question for the Russian permanent representative: Are you saying that Russia is not conducting any bombings of Ukraine?" he said.

Nebenzia later demanded an end to the exchange, arguing that Russia only targets military positions in Ukraine.

- Russian call for sanctioning US

Nebenzia reiterated that the US has blocked international efforts to stop the violence in Gaza.

"Washington bears full responsibility for the unprecedented number of civilian victims of this escalation. Their number is now near 30,000. And that is the cost of the American vetoes in the Security Council on Gaza," he said.

He said it may be time for the Security Council to consider adopting sanctions against the US.

"When it comes to obstructing humanitarian assistance for the needy, the Security Council has the right to consider adopting sanction measures. And I think that now the time is ripe to activate this provision," he added.