The BRICS convened for an immediate meeting of its member nations to deliberate on the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. The leaders hoped to find a sustainable humanitarian truce to cease the atrocities continuing in Gaza. The BRICS nations held a virtual meeting called by the current chair of the grouping, South Africa.
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Calls for Truce
The top leaders of BRICS nations convened for an Extraordinary Joint Meeting on the Middle East situation, a virtual meeting called by South African President President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday. The leaders discussed the issue of the ongoing conflict in Gaza but failed to reach a consensus on the matter.
The leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa attended the summit along with the official new entries to the group, including Argentina, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, UAE, and Iran. The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, also participated in the summit. This is the first grouping organised since Israel attacked Gaza in retaliation for the invasion by the militant group Hamas in Israel on October 7.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, in his opening remarks, called for an immediate ceasefire and described the issue in Gaza as a genocide. He also held Israel responsible for executing war crimes. He added that the diplomats did not have adequate time to draft a declaration. The President stressed the fact that the actions from Israel are a clear violation of International Law, including the Geneva Convention and the UN Charter.
The BRICS nations emphasized the significance of preventing further destabilization and a hike in violence and called on all parties to implement maximum restraint. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to find a peaceful resolution through dialogues and consultations.
Different leaders, different views
The leaders had different views on the issue at hand, and the statements raised by the nations also differed based on their stand on the matter. South Africa raised heavy criticism of Israel than Brazil, Russia, and China did, while India took a much quieter stand.
Chinese President Xi Jinping said that the root cause of the Israel-Palestine issue is the right of Palestinian people’s right to existence and statehood along with their right to return. He mentioned the collective punishment faced by the people of Gaza and the immediate need for a ceasefire.
The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, blamed the US for wrecking the chance of building peace in the Middle East. Putin accused Washington of trying to monopolise the role of the mediator by sidelining other members of the Middle East Quartet (Russia, the UN, and the EU). Putin called for joint efforts from the international community and believes that BRICS could play a vital role in de-escalating the situation and finding a political solution.
Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi did not attend the meeting, which made the External Affairs Minister of India, S Jaishankar, attend in his stead. S Jaishankar, in the meeting, said that there is an urgent requirement for humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza, and it is vital that all the hostages are released. He stressed the aspect of the universal obligation to adhere to international humanitarian law. The minister reaffirmed India’s position on the issue and condemned all kinds of terrorism while advocating for a two-state solution to the conflict.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the President of Brazil, called the war a “humanitarian catastrophe.” He said that innocent people pay the price of the destruction caused by war, stressing the issues faced by children, women, and the older population.
The BRICS chair’s summary
The summary provided by the chair of the Extraordinary Joint Meeting of the BRICS stated that all the member nations raised concern over the escalation of violence since the attack on October 7 and the resulting consequences that fell upon Gaza.
The chair called for the immediate release of the hostages and to provide them with the required treatment per international law. The convened nations condemned the violence done against the Palestinian and Israeli people and emphasized the protection of civilians in accordance with international human rights laws.
The nations jointly rejected all types of forcible deportation or transfer of an individual or a group as it comes under the violations of International Humanitarian Law. The chair summary stressed for an independent and transparent investigation of the issue. The nations reiterated their support for the efforts made to achieve an immediate ceasefire to protect the people and provide humanitarian aid to the war-struck regions. The leaders affirmed the predominant role of the United Nations Security Council in maintaining international security and peace.
