China continues to work with world community to deescalate Palestinian-Israeli conflict: Wang Wenbin

Beijing: As this month’s president of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and a responsible member of the international community, China will continue to work relentlessly with the international community to deescalate the Palestinian-Israeli situation, protect civilians, promote humanitarian aid and resume talks for peace, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Wang Wenbin said on Wednesday.

“We call for efforts to protect civilians, end hostilities, and open corridors for humanitarian assistance to avert an even worse humanitarian crisis, and resume political dialogue and negotiations so as to bring the Palestinian question back to the right track of the two-state solution and realize lasting peace and stability in the Middle East,” he said during a regular briefing held here.

He said, since the Palestinian-Israeli conflict broke out, China has been in close communication with relevant parties to call for ceasefire, end of violence and restoration of peace. When meeting with Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly who was in China for the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, President Xi Jinping stressed that the top priority is to stop the fighting as soon as possible, and prevent the conflict from spreading or even getting out of control and causing a severe humanitarian crisis, he added.

The spokesperson said, the fundamental way out of the recurring Palestinian-Israeli conflict is to implement the two-state solution, establish an independent State of Palestine and achieve peaceful coexistence between Palestine and Israel. Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi has had extensive and in-depth communication with foreign ministers and political figures from 14 countries and international organizations, including the UN Secretary-General.

He noted that China condemns and opposes all acts that harm civilians and violate international law, and calls for an immediate ceasefire and the opening of corridors for emergency humanitarian assistance to avert an even worse humanitarian disaster. He stressed that the fundamental reason for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is that for too long, the Palestinian people’s right to statehood has been shelved, their right to survival has not been ensured, and their right to return to their home has been ignored. Such historical injustice must be put to an end as soon as possible.

Wang Wenbin said, the international community needs to take urgent action. The UN Security Council needs to step up to its responsibility. Countries outside the region, especially major countries, need to take an objective and just position and play a constructive role in cooling down the crisis.

He informed, recently, Special Envoy of the Chinese Government on the Middle East Issue Zhai Jun visited Egypt, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, attended the Cairo Peace Summit on the Palestinian question, and met with the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States and Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). He called for a ceasefire and efforts to prevent the conflict from spreading, expressed China’s support for Arab countries’ mediation efforts, and pointed out that the international community needs to shoulder their responsibility and create conditions for the resumption of the peace process.

China has had extensive participation in relevant UN meetings and consultations based on objectivity and impartiality. China supports the UN and its Security Council to play their due role, and co-sponsored and voted in favour of the resolution on the Palestinian-Israeli situation at the UNGA emergency special session to echo the strong international call for a ceasefire, especially among Arab states. To ease the humanitarian situation in Gaza, China has provided emergency humanitarian assistance in cash to the Palestinian National Authority and the UNRWA and emergency humanitarian assistance such as food and medicine to Gaza, he added.