A Chinese envoy on Thursday condemned Israeli military strikes on Syria and demanded an immediate end to them.
Geng Shuang, China's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, made the statement during an emergency meeting of the Security Council, convened to address the escalating crisis in Syria, where renewed violence has further dimmed hopes for a peaceful political transition.
Khaled Khiari, assistant secretary-general for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, briefed the Council on the alarming resurgence of conflict in Syria, particularly pointing to Israeli military actions, which poses a serious threat to Syria's efforts toward a peaceful, credible, orderly, and inclusive political transition.
Khiari noted that Israel had carried out multiple airstrikes under the pretext of protecting the Druze community, targeting locations including the Syrian capital and military infrastructure. These actions, he said, undermine Syria's national sovereignty and further inflame regional instability.
He appealed to all sides to protect civilians, ensure unimpeded humanitarian access, and called on the Syrian government to pursue accountability and inclusive political dialog based on transparency and accountability.
Geng expressed grave concern over the deteriorating situation, especially in southern Syria's Sweida, and urged all parties to restore peace and maintain the ceasefire. He reaffirmed that counter-terrorism remains key to regional stability and that the political process should follow UN Security Council Resolution 2254.
Geng strongly condemned Israel's airstrikes in Syria, urged an immediate halt to military operations and the withdrawal from Syrian territory, and reiterated the call for respect for Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
"At a time of growing instability in southern Syria, Israel has launched repeated airstrikes on Sweida, Deraa, and Damascus, even hitting key Syrian government sites. These military actions are a blatant breach of international law and seriously undermine Syria's sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity, which have also introduced new complicating factors to Syria's peace, stability, and political transition. China strongly condemns these attacks and calls on Israel to immediately cease its military operations and withdraw from Syrian territory as soon as possible," said Geng.
At present, hot-spot issues in the Middle East are emerging one after another, with new and old antagonisms intertwined and overlapping. The situation is complex and volatile. The state of affairs is neither in the interests of any country in the Middle East, nor the international community, said Geng.
The Security Council, as the body with the primary responsibility for international peace and security, should resolutely fulfill its responsibilities under the UN Charter and use all the tools in its toolbox to try to bring the conflicts to an early end, restore peace and stability in those areas, and achieve lasting peace and stability in the entire Middle East, he said.
China is ready to work with the international community to play a constructive role in this regard, he added.
Chinese envoy condemns Israeli military strikes on Syria
