China Urges Ceasefire in Gaza Strip at United Nations Security Council Meeting
At a public meeting of the United Nations Security Council on the Palestinian-Israeli issue, China’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, emphasized the need for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as the overriding prerequisite for preventing further civilian casualties and avoiding a complete collapse of the prospects for a political settlement.
Zhang Jun highlighted that the international community has continuously called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, but Israel has continued its military operations, targeting schools, hospitals, and refugee camps without justifiable reason. China has urged Israel to change its course, stop indiscriminate military attacks, and cease collective punishment of the people in the Gaza Strip.
In addition to the urgent need for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Zhang Jun also emphasized the importance of preventing the situation in the West Bank from escalating further. He called on Israel to fulfill its obligations under international law, stop all settlement activities, effectively curb settler violence, and end impunity as the occupying power.
Furthermore, Zhang Jun highlighted the humanitarian disaster in the Gaza Strip, where more than two million innocent people have suffered since the outbreak of the new round of Palestinian-Israeli conflict. He expressed support for the United Arab Emirates’ draft resolution aimed at addressing humanitarian access bottlenecks and mitigating the humanitarian disaster in the Gaza Strip, urging relevant members to adopt a constructive attitude and support the Security Council in taking prompt and meaningful actions to save lives.
Lastly, Zhang Jun stressed the importance of reviving the “two-state solution” with the greatest political determination. He called for increased international and regional diplomatic efforts to reaffirm the commitment to the “two-state solution,” revive its political prospects, and restart direct negotiations between Palestine and Israel.
In conclusion, Zhang Jun proposed the convening of an international peace conference with a larger scale, greater scope, and more effectiveness to promote the formation of a timetable and road map for truly implementing the “two-state solution” while respecting the wishes of the Palestinian people and the legitimate concerns of regional countries.