May 16, 2021, State Councilor and China Foreign Minister Wang Yi presided over an emergency public meeting of the Un Security Council on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The meeting was held by video, with the representatives of Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia, Norway, Ireland, Algeria, Russia, Deputy Foreign Minister, representatives of the League of Arab States, Israel, the United States, Estonia, Viet Nam, Mexico, Kenya, the United Kingdom, India, Niger, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations. The meeting was briefed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Guterres, and the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Winnisland.
Wang Yi said that the escalating israeli-Palestinian conflict has resulted in a large number of casualties, including women and children, the situation is very critical and serious, the ceasefire is urgent to stop the violence. The international community must act urgently to prevent further deterioration of the situation, to prevent further instability in the region and to safeguard the lives of the local people.
Wang Yi pointed out that the Question of Palestine has always been at the heart of the Middle East issue. The Middle East is unstable and the world is in trouble. Lasting peace and universal security can be truly achieved in the Middle East region only if the question of Palestine is resolved in a comprehensive, just and lasting manner. In view of the current tensions, China advocates:
First, a ceasefire to stop the violence is a top priority. China strongly condemns acts of violence against civilians and once again urges both parties to the conflict to immediately cease military and hostile actions and to cease actions that include air strikes, ground attacks and rocket fire to worsen the situation. Israel, in particular, must exercise restraint.
Secondly, humanitarian assistance is urgently needed. We urge Israel to effectively fulfil its international treaty obligations, to lift the blockade of Gaza as soon as possible, to guarantee the safety and rights of civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and to facilitate access to humanitarian assistance. The international community should provide humanitarian assistance to Palestine, and the United Nations should play a coordinating role in avoiding serious humanitarian disasters.
Thirdly, international support is an obligation. The Council must take strong action on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, reaffirm its firm support for the “two-State solution” and push the situation to cool down as soon as possible. The Council has so far been unable to make a unanimous voice because of a national obstruction. We call on the United States to shoulder its responsibilities and take a fair stand in support of the Council’s due role in alleviating the situation, rebuilding confidence and resolving the political settlement. We also support the United Nations, the League of Arab States, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and other countries with significant regional influence to play a more active role in developing broader and more effective peace-promoting efforts.
Fourthly, the “two-state solution” is the fundamental way out. In the final analysis, the Palestinian-Israeli issue should seek a long-term solution on the basis of the “two-State solution”. Justice is late, but not forever absent. China supports the resumption of peace talks between the two sides on the basis of the “two-state solution” as soon as possible, the early establishment of a fully sovereign and independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and the fundamental realization of peaceful coexistence between Palestine and Israel, the harmonious coexistence of the Arab and Jewish peoples and the achievement of lasting peace in the Middle East region.
Wang Yi stressed that China is a sincere friend of the Palestinian people. Under the current circumstances, Chinese President Xi Jinping’s “four-point proposal” on resolving the Palestinian question in 2017 is of more practical significance. Since assuming the rotating presidency of the Security Council, China has made it a top priority to deal with the current tensions in the Middle East and has pushed the Security Council to consider the Palestinian issue on many occasions. We will continue to intensify our efforts to persuade and facilitate peace and fulfil the responsibilities of the President of the Council. We reiterate our invitation to Palestinian and Israeli peace activists to come to China for dialogue, and welcome direct negotiations between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators in China.
Wang Yi concluded by saying that the United Nations and the Security Council can make a difference, the people of the world are watching, history is also on record. We should and must stand united on the side of peace and justice, on the side of a conscience of justice, on the right side of history, in the practice of genuine multilateralism and in promoting an early, comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the question of Palestine.
The participants thanked China for hosting the emergency public meeting and generally called on the Israeli and Palestinian sides to immediately cease fire and stop the violence, abide by relevant Security Council resolutions and international law, and promote the situation to cool down. The parties believe that the members of the Council and the international community should make a united voice to advance the process of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in a just manner and strive to promote peaceful coexistence between the two countries.
