China Urges Israel to Cease Encroaching on Palestinian Land and Resources

NEW YORK – China has requested Israel to stop encroaching on territory and resources Palestine as Tel Aviv continues to permit and approve the construction of illegal Jewish settlements in the Occupied Territories.

“Since the beginning of this year, Israel has continued to advance unilateral measures to agree to return, establish new settlements and legalize settlements,” China’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Geng Shuang, said while addressing the UN Security Council in the middle of this week.

Emphasizing that such construction and settlement activities violate international law and UN Security Council Resolution 2334, he expressed Beijing’s position to urge Israel to immediately stop these acts and stop encroaching on the lands and resources of the Palestinian people.

Shuang also emphasized that the historical status quo of religious shrines in Jerusalem must be respected and upheld. He said that Israel’s Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir “caused new tensions” by storming the al-Aqsa Mosque compound for the second time this year and asserting Israel’s alleged ownership of the Islamic holy site.

“Regarding religious holy places, Israel must stop its provocations, guarantee the right of worship of Muslims, uphold peace and tranquility of religious holy places, and respect the custodianship of Jordan,” he stressed as quoted from Middle East MonitorSunday (28/5/2023).

Shuang also drew attention to the fact that tensions and clashes between the Israeli occupation and Palestinian Resistance groups have been recurring over the past few years, fully demonstrating that the long stalled peace process is not sustainable, that piecemeal crisis management will not last long, and a comprehensive solution and justice is irreplaceable.

He pointed to China’s increasing role in these issues, like others in the region, and possibly surpassing the United States as the mediating and hegemonic power.