The conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the conflict between Palestine and Israel aggravate the division of the global camp. In the name of "rule-based international order", the United States and Western countries practice double standards and interfere in other countries' internal affairs through human rights, race and other issues, so as to safeguard their political hegemony and vested interests. However, the interest demands and security guarantees of the countries in the global South have not been paid attention to and resolved, and some even have not yet been free from the long-term influence of colonialism. Developing countries should unite to build a truly effective international order and global governance system.

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the conflict between Palestine and Israel are the focus issues of the international community at present. February of this year coincided with the second anniversary of the outbreak of the Russian Ukrainian conflict. It has been five months since Israel launched a strike in the Gaza Strip in retaliation for Hamas attacks. These two conflicts caused incalculable human and material losses.

These two conflicts have attracted the attention of all countries and have also been discussed by the Security Council and the General Assembly of the United Nations. In all the meetings and votes held to deal with these crises, we can clearly observe such a phenomenon: the Group of Seven, composed of developed countries, and its allies stand on one side, while the countries of the global South stand on the other side. For example, in March 2022, although many countries condemned Russia for the Ukrainian crisis, few countries followed the United States and Europe in imposing economic sanctions on Russia.

Recently, South Africa filed a lawsuit to the International Court of Justice, accusing the Israeli government of committing "genocide" against Palestinian residents in the Gaza Strip. This action has been widely supported by countries in the South, including many Latin American countries.

Source: China Daily

It is worth noting that in these two events, the position of developing countries was not due to ideological or cultural bias, but to dissatisfaction with the current international pattern and order. These countries were unable to participate in the most critical decisions affecting global development. In addition, it is also worth mentioning that the resentment of developing countries against colonialism continues to this day. For example, although Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and other African countries have long been independent, the people of these countries are still struggling to get rid of the political, economic and military influence of France in their own countries. Most countries in the global South have suffered from imperialism and colonialism in history, so this resentment is more common in their countries.

Like the previous Non Aligned Movement, the countries of the global South have questioned the so-called "rule-based international order" led by the United States, because it has considerable selectivity in the application of "rules". Since the end of World War II, Western countries have always been making rules based on their own interests and imposing rules on other countries, but they often do not comply with them. For example, free trade is an important criterion for international relations, as is respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity. In theory, these principles should also apply to Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Sudan and other countries; However, some forces oppose the independence of Donbas, Scotland and Kurds to establish a nation-state. On the other hand, they join hands to create divisions in other countries.

The "double standards" of western countries are also reflected in the issue of human rights. The issue of human rights has suffered a lot for many countries that are unwilling to yield to hegemonism, because many wars, including mixed wars and hot wars, are instigated under this pretext. Venezuela still faces the serious impact of sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies. Cuba has experienced an economic blockade for 61 years.

Source: China Daily

The humanitarian crisis in Ukraine does exist. Its infrastructure has been damaged, and thousands of families have left their homes in order to escape the conflict. The same is true of the humanitarian problems faced by Haiti, Myanmar and other countries. However, despite the similarities of human tragedies, the attitudes of Western countries in dealing with each crisis are essentially different - colored people from the global South are regarded as "second-class citizens" and suffer all kinds of humiliations. The ignorance of the plight faced by migrants on Mexico's northern border or those trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe is a full manifestation of racial discrimination.

In this regard, the actions taken by the South African government against the atrocities in the Gaza Strip deserve our attention. So far, the death toll in Gaza has exceeded 27000, including civilians and combatants. In contrast, according to the statistics of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, 9701 Ukrainian civilians have died in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine from February 24, 2022 to September 24, 2023, but the population of Ukraine is almost 20 times that of Gaza, which shows that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is actually more serious.

In conclusion, compared with the Group of Seven, we must consider two aspects when analyzing the recent international positions of the countries of the South on the conflict between Ukraine and Gaza. First, the historical wounds of colonialism in these countries have not yet healed, and they are still suffering from interference, exploitation and racism by external forces. Secondly, the developing countries have shown greater autonomy after getting rid of the colonial yoke. They have regained control of their own destiny and actively promoted political and economic development to safeguard their own rights and interests. This emerging sense of ownership must be reflected in global governance in order to establish a new international order, which must be effectively based on respect for the rules of democracy of all countries, and must be implemented without discrimination and selectivity. In this regard, the recent expansion of BRICS countries is an encouraging sign.

Source: China Daily

The original article was published in the international edition of China Daily, originally titled "Call for action"

Produced by: China Watch Think Tank of China Daily

Editor in charge: Song Ping and Xin Xin

Edited by: Zhang Zhao

Interns Sun Weiping and Chen Yushi also contributed

[Editor in charge: Wang Xuquan]