China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Fu Cong on Wednesday called on Israel to halt settlement activities and urged the international community to take forceful measures toward implementing the two-state solution.
Addressing the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, Fu said the root cause of the prolonged Palestinian question lies in the failure to implement the two-state solution and Palestine's inability to establish an independent state.
He said the question is once again at a critical juncture, and the international community must act with a sense of responsibility toward the Palestinian people and peace in the Middle East, uphold fairness and justice, and take forceful measures.
Fu emphasized that a genuine, comprehensive, and lasting ceasefire is urgently needed in the Gaza Strip, and any attacks on civilians are unacceptable.
China calls on all parties concerned, particularly Israel, to fully comply with the ceasefire agreement and cease all acts of assault, Fu said.
He also urged Israel to fulfill its obligations under international humanitarian law, open all crossing points, lift restrictions on the entry of humanitarian supplies, and ensure that relief agencies, including the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), can carry out their assistance operations.
Reiterating China's position on addressing the root causes of the conflict through settlement restraint and political resolution, Fu underscored the international community's obligation to advance a just and lasting peace.
"Israel should heed the strong calls of the international community, stop its settlement activities and its encroachment on Palestinian territory, and cease undermining the governance foundation of the Palestinian Authority. Implementing the two-state solution and restoring fairness and justice to the Palestinian people is an inescapable responsibility of the international community," he said.
Reaffirming China's firm support for the just cause of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights, Fu said China will continue to work with the international community to promote a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire in Gaza, alleviate the humanitarian crisis, implement the two-state solution, and achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Palestinian question at an early date.
China calls on Israel to cease settlement, urges two-state solution implementation
