Coming just weeks after the sustained bombing of Gaza and condemnation around the world, Israel's incorporation into such a "coalition" is an astonishing act of hypocrisy, projection and double standards. It makes a mockery out of international human rights, not least regarding Muslims, and is a huge strategic blunder on Washington's part which will backfire in the Islamic world, and even amongst some in the West. As this saga takes place in Geneva, the biggest irony was that not a single Muslim country, be it in the Middle East, Africa or Southeast Asia, joined the statement regarding Xinjiang. In fact, most major Islamic nations actually joined a counter-coalition of at least 65 countries supporting China's position.

Irrespective of this, China is not pulling its punches and has a few tricks up its sleeve. Its response to Western criticism is becoming tougher and more sophisticated. At that very same UN meeting, Beijing and its own coalition turned the situation on its head by calling for a UN probe into the deaths of indigenous children in Canadian boarding schools, a dark legacy that has aroused significant controversy within Canada, not least after 215 bodies were found in an unmarked grave a week ago and even more just today.