China Calls on Israel to Dismantle Illegal Settlements in Palestine

Darwin, October 18: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has called on Israel to halt forced settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank and withdraw settlements already established there, according to a statement released by China’s Foreign Ministry on Friday (October 16). Source: The Times of Israel.

The statement said Wang made the appeal during a meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. He described the Palestinian issue as “the greatest historical injustice of this century”, according to the statement.

Wang said promoting peace and reconciliation in the Middle East was a cornerstone of China’s foreign policy. Beijing believes the correct path to resolving the conflict is the establishment of two independent states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side.

He also stressed the need to ensure the immediate and full entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza to prevent the humanitarian disaster from worsening.

The Chinese foreign minister added that Beijing was ready to work with the international community to bring all parties back to dialogue and negotiations as soon as possible and seek a political solution to the conflict.

According to Herzog’s office, the two leaders met on the sidelines of a conference of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Baku. Their discussions focused on bilateral relations, particularly economic, trade and cultural ties.

However, Herzog’s office declined to comment when asked about the leaders’ discussions on the West Bank and the Palestinian issue.

Separately, Wang reaffirmed China’s support for the Palestinian people. A statement from China’s Foreign Ministry said that, during a meeting with Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, Wang pledged that Beijing would continue to speak up for Palestinian rights and demands.

Wang said the Palestinian issue must not be ignored. He also called on all peace-loving countries to support a two-state solution.

Source: The Times of Israel