China has called for an immediate cessation of fighting between Israel and Hamas while reiterating the two-states solution as the only way out of the cycle of violence.
“We call on relevant parties to remain calm, exercise restraint and immediately end the hostilities to protect civilians and avoid further deterioration of the situation,” a Chinese government spokesperson was quoted as saying by The Irish Times.
China has been a long-standing votary of the Palestinian Case. It has time and again called for the implementation of UN resolutions on Palestine and the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state. Beijing was the first to acknowledge Palestinian statehood in 1988.
“The recurrence of the conflict shows once again that the protracted standstill of the peace process cannot go on. The fundamental way out of the conflict lies in implementing the two-state solution and establishing an independent state of Palestine. The international community needs to act with greater urgency, step up input into the Palestine question, facilitate the early resumption of peace talks between Palestine and Israel, and find a way to bring about enduring peace.”
Last April Beijing offered to act as the mediator between both the sides after successfully brokered a deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran, establishing formal diplomatic relations between the two of the most powerful rivals in West Asia.
Last June Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met Xi Jinping in Beijing. While they signed a strategic partnership, Beijing offered to mediate between the rival Palestinian factions as a prelude to formal dialogue with Israel.
Meanwhile, the US has responded strongly to the Chinese position on the ongoing conflict in Israel.
US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told China’s top diplomat on Monday he was “very disappointed” by a recent statement by Beijing on the dramatic escalation of violence between Israel and the Palestinians, according to agency pool video.
“I was very disappointed, to be honest, by the foreign ministry’s statement that showed no sympathy or support for Israel during these tough, troubled times,” Schumer told Foreign Minister Wang Yi during a meeting in Beijing.
With AFP inputs
Via Firstpost World Latest News https://ift.tt/QqynsL6
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