China urges international action to end Israel-Palestine conflict
A Chinese envoy on Tuesday (11/8) called on the international community to take action to end the conflict and violence between Israel and Palestine.
China is deeply concerned about the recent escalation in the occupied Palestinian territory and is deeply saddened by the rising civilian casualties resulting from the ongoing violence, said Fu Cong, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations.
Amid this regional escalation, the Palestinian issue must not be ignored or set aside. The international community must immediately take action to end the conflict and violence, save the lives of innocent people, and uphold justice and truth, he said at a UN Security Council session on the situation in the West Bank.
“For some time, the situation in the West Bank and Gaza has deteriorated sharply, causing more suffering and misery for the Palestinian people,” Fu said. “At its core, this is due to the fact that the basic principles of international law are not respected, while the Palestinian people’s right to survival and development has long been ignored.”
The lives of the Palestinian people are just as precious as the lives of any other people. The international community must uphold a clear understanding of right and wrong, build further consensus, immediately correct all erroneous statements and actions that deny or violate the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, and guarantee their equal rights in order to effectively uphold international justice and equality, he said.
The situation in the West Bank has undergone a dangerous escalation. The occupying forces continue to push for settlement expansion, desecrate and damage religious sites, blockade refugee camps, and carry out mass arrests, while settler violence is increasing, according to Fu.
Israel must halt all settlement activities, curb settler violence, and ensure strict accountability, he said.
The situation in Gaza is equally alarming. Even after the Board of Peace announced progress in the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire, Israel still refuses to halt its military operations in the territory. More than 300 days after the signing of the ceasefire agreement, a lasting ceasefire has still not been achieved, he said.
The current situation is caused by a lack of political will to implement the ceasefire. China calls on Israel and all relevant parties to implement the Gaza ceasefire agreement fully and in good faith, and urges Israel to comply with international humanitarian law by lifting restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian aid supplies. Countries with significant influence over the parties should take concrete action to help de-escalate the situation, Fu said.
The two-state solution is the only viable path to resolving the Palestinian issue as recognised by the international community. Any doubt, scepticism, or uncertainty is unacceptable. Both Gaza and the West Bank are integral parts of the state of Palestine. Israel must immediately end its illegal occupation of Palestinian territory and stop undermining the governance structures of the Palestinian Authority, he said.
The international community must fully respect the will of the Palestinian people, advance post-war reconstruction in Gaza in accordance with the principle that Palestine is governed by the Palestinian people themselves, return to the correct path towards a two-state solution, and realise the establishment of an independent Palestinian state as soon as possible, he continued.
On the Palestinian issue, China has always stood on the side of peace, justice, and conscience. China will, as it has always done, support the legitimate struggle of the Palestinian people to realise their legitimate national rights, work to end the suffering of the Palestinian people as soon as possible, and make unremitting efforts to restore stability in the region and bring peace to its people.