Category: Palestine

In the following article for Middle East Monitor, Ramzy Baroud, editor-in-chief of the Palestine Chronicle, discusses the historic signing of a unity agreement between 14 Palestinian political parties in Beijing and the implications it has for China’s role as a peacemaker in the Middle East.

Ramzy notes that China has long been a supporter of the Palestinian cause, and has been involved in various peace initiatives in the region, including its four-point proposal on the Palestine-Israel conflict, put forward by Foreign Minister Wang Yi in May 2021. This proposal was not immediately successful, but in the intervening period there have been two significant developments: first, “China’s success in ending a seven-year rift between Saudi Arabia and Iran re-introduced Beijing as a powerful new mediator”; and second, “US-dominated western diplomacy is breaking apart” and the US has lost all credibility as a mediator.

Meanwhile, China has been a loud and consistent voice in the international community condemning Israel’s onslaught on Gaza. China has proven itself to be “committed to the rights of the Palestinian people and their historic struggle for freedom and justice”.

China’s efforts towards a lasting peace and justice in the Middle East have been widely welcomed by regional states and by the Palestinian people themselves. “China is now officially a peace broker in Palestine and, for most Palestinians, a credible one at that”.

In the video embedded below the article, Ramzy discusses these issues in greater detail on the Palestine Deep Dive show.

Chinese diplomacy has done it again.

By hosting a historic signing of a unity agreement between 14 Palestinian political parties in Beijing on 23 July, China has, once more, shown its ability to play a global role as a peace broker.

For years, China has attempted to play a role in Middle East politics, particularly in the region’s most enduring crisis, the Israeli Occupation of Palestine.

In 2021, China announced its four-point plan, aimed at “comprehensively, fairly and permanently” resolving the Palestinian question.

Whether the plan itself was workable or not, it mattered little, as neither the Israeli government nor the Palestinian Authority were prepared to ditch Washington, which has dominated Middle East diplomacy for decades.

Continue reading China a credible peace broker in Palestine

Following the July 23 signing of the Beijing Declaration on Ending Division and Strengthening Palestinian National Unity by 14 Palestinian resistance movements, the Xinhua News Agency released a commentary on July 26, affirming that China champions peace in the region through concrete actions. 

According to correspondent Zhao Wencai: “As witnessed by their Chinese friends, once-bitter rivals among the Palestinians, notably Hamas and Fatah, have decided to bury the hatchet and join forces.”

He goes on to note that during the reconciliation talks, Mustafa Barghouti, Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Initiative, was asked why different factions could resolve their differences in Beijing.

“After thinking for a while, he replied, ‘Because China is decent and honest and wants to help us without interfering in our internal affairs, (and) to support our struggle by enhancing Palestinian unity and enabling Palestinians to achieve what they deserve, which is their freedom, their independence, their rights to sovereignty.'”

The current war in Gaza has, the commentary notes, highlighted for Palestinians the detrimental impact of internal divisions on their goal of establishing a state. There is a growing recognition that a unified voice will amplify their calls for justice, and only by standing together can they advance their cause for national liberation.

“China’s drive for an early, comprehensive, just and lasting resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict stems not from self-serving geopolitical motives, but from a profound empathy for the Palestinian people and an earnest aspiration for peace and prosperity in the Middle East.

“Unlike some Western countries that have often overlooked the suffering in Gaza, China’s historical experience with Western interference has given its people a unique perspective on the hardships faced by those in the Middle East, who long for peace and stability amidst the turmoil of war.”

Meanwhile, in his weekly blog, published on belfastmedia.com, former Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams has welcomed the Beijing agreement. He writes: “In a very welcome move Hamas and Fatah and 12 other Palestinian groups signed a ‘national unity’ agreement in Beijing aimed at maintaining Palestinian control over the Gaza Strip once Israel’s genocidal war on the besieged territory ends. The agreement calls for [an] ‘interim national reconciliation government’ to govern Gaza.

“Israel and its allies have sought to dictate the terms of any governance arrangement for the Gaza Strip in any post war situation, including Israel maintaining control of the territory. All of these have been predicated on limiting the democratic rights of the Palestinian people to choose their own representatives and government. This cannot be allowed. The Palestinian people have the right to self-determination.”

The following article was originally published by the Xinhua News Agency.

CAIRO, July 26 (Xinhua) — As the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in Gaza stretches into its 10th month, there was a bid for peace and unity from Beijing this week: Under China’s mediation, senior representatives from 14 Palestinian factions signed the Beijing Declaration on Ending Division and Strengthening Palestinian National Unity.

According to the declaration, the Palestinian factions have agreed to establish an interim national reconciliation government, carry out reconstruction in Gaza and prepare and hold a general election as soon as possible in keeping with the adopted election laws.

As witnessed by their Chinese friends, once-bitter rivals among the Palestinians, notably Hamas and Fatah, have decided to bury the hatchet and join forces. They are setting their sights on establishing an independent State of Palestine with Jerusalem as the capital, based on relevant United Nations (UN) resolutions and ensuring the integrity of Palestinian territory, including the West Bank, Jerusalem, and Gaza.

During the reconciliation talks, Mustafa Barghouti, secretary-general of the Palestinian National Initiative, was asked why different factions could resolve their differences in Beijing.

After thinking for a while, he replied, “Because China is decent and honest and wants to help us without interfering in our internal affairs, (and) to support our struggle by enhancing Palestinian unity and enabling Palestinians to achieve what they deserve, which is their freedom, their independence, their rights to sovereignty.”

Barghouti’s remarks offered a compelling elucidation of China’s sincerity and continual progress in assisting the Middle East in achieving peace.

The Palestinian question has always been the core issue in the Middle East, and achieving internal reconciliation within Palestine is an important step toward resolving the issue and achieving peace and stability in the region.

China has long been committed to promoting reconciliation within Palestine, a goal shared by other Arab nations including Egypt and Jordan.

However, efforts have previously stalled due to an unfavorable international environment, particularly interference from the United States.

The recent round of conflicts in Gaza has highlighted for Palestinians the detrimental impact of internal divisions on their goal of establishing a state. There is a growing recognition that a unified voice will amplify their calls for justice, and only by standing together can they advance their cause for national liberation. This has spurred a renewed desire for reconciliation among Palestinian factions.

Meanwhile, the international community has increasingly recognized that the establishment of a Palestinian state is the key to resolving the Palestinian question. Inspired by China’s successful mediation between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the world and the Palestinian leaders in particular are hopeful that China will play a significant role in addressing the thorny issue.

The most urgent task now is to achieve a comprehensive, lasting and sustainable ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as soon as possible, and ensure access to humanitarian aid and rescue on the ground. China has engaged in close communication and coordination with relevant parties since the outbreak of recent hostilities.

Deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, China has provided significant amounts of humanitarian aid through various channels. It has also actively facilitated the UN Security Council’s adoption of a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

In the Position Paper of the People’s Republic of China on Resolving the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict released last November, China calls for Palestine’s full membership in the UN and a more authoritative and effective international peace conference to work out a timetable and road map for the two-state solution.

China’s drive for an early, comprehensive, just and lasting resolution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict stems not from self-serving geopolitical motives, but from a profound empathy for the Palestinian people and an earnest aspiration for peace and prosperity in the Middle East.

Unlike some Western countries that have often overlooked the suffering in Gaza, China’s historical experience with Western interference has given its people a unique perspective on the hardships faced by those in the Middle East, who long for peace and stability amidst the turmoil of war.

China’s efforts to promote peace in the region are underscored by its role in facilitating the reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran in 2023, ending seven years of diplomatic deadlock. The current Beijing Declaration further exemplifies China’s concrete steps to bridge regional divides and lay the foundation for a peaceful Middle East.

On their journey toward lasting peace and prosperity, all parties involved in the Middle East conflict will find in China a true advocate committed to peace and justice in the region.

Following the conclusion of talks in Beijing between representatives of 14 Palestinian resistance groups, which resulted in the signing of the Beijing Declaration on Ending Division and Strengthening Palestinian National Unity, on July 23, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with the head of the Fatah delegation Mahmoud al-Aloul.

Wang stressed that a top priority now is to proceed from the fundamental interests of all the Palestinian people, seize the opportunity and seek common ground while shelving differences, so that unity and reconciliation among the various factions could be realised.

Mahmoud al-Aloul, who is also deputy leader of Fatah, thanked China for its efforts to promote reconciliation among Palestinian factions and for its support and assistance to Palestine over the past decades, calling China a true friend and brother of the Palestinian people.

The following report was first published by the Xinhua News Agency.

BEIJING, July 24 (Xinhua) — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with the head of the Fatah delegation Mahmoud al-Aloul in Beijing on Tuesday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, stressed that no matter how the international situation changes, China will always firmly support the just cause of the Palestinian people.

Noting that the conflict in Gaza has caused a huge humanitarian disaster, Wang said to resolve this historical injustice, the principle of “Palestinian-owned, Palestinian-led and Palestinian-ruled” must be upheld.

Wang said the top priority now is to proceed from the fundamental interests of all the Palestinian people, seize the opportunity and seek common ground while shelving differences, so that unity and reconciliation among the various factions could be realized, and they could form a unified position, define a common goal, and create necessary conditions for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the realization of an independent state and the implementation of the two-state solution.

Mahmoud al-Aloul, also deputy chief of the Fatah Movement, thanked China for its efforts to promote reconciliation among Palestinian factions and its support and assistance to Palestine over the past decades, calling China a true friend and brother of the Palestinian people.

The Fatah Movement will do its utmost to promote reconciliation and unity among Palestinian factions and contribute to a thorough settlement of the Palestinian issue. 

Three days of intensive talks in the Chinese capital Beijing between 14 Palestinian resistance organisations culminated on July 23, 2024, with the signing of the Beijing Declaration on Ending Division and Strengthening Palestinian National Unity by the movements represented.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, attended the closing ceremony and witnessed the signing.

According to the website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, in his remarks at the closing ceremony, Wang Yi noted that, 14 Palestinian factions are gathering in Beijing with the greater good of their nation in mind. This is an important historical moment in the Palestinian liberation cause. China commends the reconciliation efforts made by all the factions and congratulates them on the success of the Beijing dialogue and the signing of the Beijing Declaration.

Wang Yi pointed out that only when Palestinian factions speak as one can the voice of justice be loud and clear, and only when they join hands and march forward shoulder to shoulder can they succeed in their national liberation cause. The most important consensus from the Beijing talks is to achieve the reconciliation and unity among the 14 factions; the core outcome is the affirmation of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) as the sole legitimate representative of all Palestinian people; the biggest highlight is the agreement on establishing an interim government of national reconciliation focusing on the post-conflict reconstruction of Gaza; and the strongest call is for truly establishing an independent State of Palestine in accordance with relevant UN resolutions. The key to the Palestinian reconciliation process is to bolster confidence, keep to the right direction, and make incremental progress. Only by making continuous efforts to build consensus and put it into practice can the reconciliation process yield more and more substantive progress and greater unity. Reconciliation is the internal affair of Palestinian factions and cannot happen without international support. On the path toward reconciliation, China shares the same direction and destination with Arab and Islamic countries.

The Chinese Foreign Minister further noted that the Palestinian question is at the core of the Middle East issue. China never has any selfish interests on the Palestinian question. China was among the first countries to recognise the PLO and the State of Palestine. China all along firmly supports the Palestinian people in restoring their legitimate national rights. We value fairness and advocate for justice.

To help get out of the current conflict and predicament, China proposes a three-step initiative:

• First is to achieve a comprehensive, lasting and sustainable ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as soon as possible, and ensure access to humanitarian aid and rescue on the ground.
• Second is to make joint efforts toward post-conflict governance of Gaza under the principle of “Palestinians governing Palestine.”
• Third is to help Palestine become a full member state of the UN and get down to implementing the two-State solution.

Wang Yi said that intra-Palestinian reconciliation will bring hope and a future to the Palestinian people. It is an important step toward resolving the Palestinian question and achieving peace and stability in the Middle East. Unwavering efforts must be continually made in this direction. China sincerely hopes that Palestinian factions will achieve reconciliation and, on that basis, realise independent statehood at an early date.

Head of the Fatah delegation Mahmoud al-Aloul and head of the Hamas delegation Musa Abu Marzouk delivered remarks on behalf of the Palestinian factions. They noted that China holds an important place in the heart of Palestinian people, and expressed sincere appreciation for President Xi Jinping and China’s unchanging, firm support and selfless assistance to Palestine over a long period of time. They expressed deep appreciation for China’s strong support for intra-Palestinian dialogue and reconciliation. 

Diplomatic envoys from Egypt, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Russia and Türkiye also attended the closing ceremony.

Speaking to Al Jazeera from Beijing, Mustafa Barghouti, Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Initiative, one of the 14 factions to sign the accord, said that the agreement goes “much further” than any other reached in recent years.

He said its four main elements are the establishment of an interim national unity government, the formation of unified Palestinian leadership ahead of future elections, the free election of a new Palestinian National Council, and a general declaration of unity in the face of ongoing Israeli attacks.

The move towards a unity government is especially important, he said, because it “blocks Israeli efforts to create some sort of collaborative structure against Palestinian interests.”

Barghouti said the war in Gaza was the “main factor” motivating the Palestinian sides to set aside their differences. “There is no other way now but for Palestinians to be unified and struggle together against this terrible injustice… The most important thing now is to not only sign the agreement, but to implement it.”

Addressing the Beijing meeting, Jamil Mezher, Deputy Secretary-General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) said in part that:

China has proven, through its long history, its steadfast support for the Palestinian cause, through its political and diplomatic stances and its support for the Palestinian people in international forums.

What is required today is a unified Palestinian stance that clearly declares that we are all united behind the goals of our people in achieving freedom, self-determination, the return of refugees, and realising the dream of a Palestinian state with Al-Quds [Jerusalem] as its capital.

It is essential to announce the restoration of Palestinian national unity, uniting our forces and people and the Palestine Liberation Organisation as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, through the convening of a unifying Palestinian National Council with the participation and representation of all Palestinian forces.

Today, our people are not only facing a genocide war but also the consequences of decades of comprehensive political failure and deficiency, as well as the price of international bias led by the United States and supported by all governments and tools of the dominant colonial system in this world.

Our urgent and pressing demand is not only to end and stop the genocide but to secure our people’s rights to freedom, self-determination, the return of refugees, and the establishment of an independent state with Al-Quds as its capital.

Peoples have never achieved their rights through blame, contention, and disputes over descriptions and conflicting wills; rather, by uniting around major national goals, deeply understanding the meaning of historical responsibility, and having leadership capable of bearing responsibility and translating popular will. This is our duty today… Is there a stronger and more precious incentive than 40,000 Palestinian martyrs?

Being united in the face of this aggression is the only guarantee to achieve our major national goals. Let us work with all our strength and sincerity to achieve this goal, knowing that history will not forgive the complacent, and our people will not forgive those who fail in their national and humanitarian duty.

Let us pledge today, before our people and the martyrs of this nation, that this moment will be the beginning of a journey towards freedom, independence, the state, and the return of refugees, and let our unity be the strongest weapon in facing this oppressive enemy.

Majida Al-Masri, Deputy Secretary-General of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) said in her speech:

Continue reading Palestinian factions sign Beijing Declaration on ending division and strengthening Palestinian national unity

The tenth ministerial conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum (CASCF) was held in Beijing on May 30. The opening session was attended by four Arab heads of state as well as by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who delivered an opening address. Ministers from China and the 22 members of the League of Arab States attended the conference.

Among the conference outcomes, the most significant was the adoption of a 21-point joint statement on the question of Palestine. Showing a high degree of unity between China and the Arab world, and among the Arab states themselves, the comprehensive joint statement calls, among other things, for the implementation of relevant United Nations resolutions, condemns Israeli aggression, calls for a sustained ceasefire, and for the implementation of the interim measures issued by the International Court of Justice in response to the legal case brought against Israel by the government of South Africa under the Genocide Convention. It supports the admission of Palestine to the United Nations as a full member state, the convening of an international peace conference, and calls for Palestinian national unity under the umbrella of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO). It further calls for an end to Israel’s settlement program in occupied territories and protection of the Arab, Islamic and Christian attributes of the city of Jerusalem.  

We carry below the full text of the joint statement. It has been machine translated and sub-edited by us, including by cross checking with other unofficial translations. The full Chinese language text, as released by the Xinhua News Agency, may be read here.

Joint Statement of China and Arab States on the Question of Palestine

On May 30, 2024, the 10th Ministerial Conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum was held in Beijing, during which the two sides had in-depth discussions on the Palestinian issue.

The two sides believe that the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly, including UN Security Council Resolution 2728, must be fully and effectively implemented, and that joint efforts should be made to promote an early ceasefire and cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip as soon as possible and to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian issue at an early date. The parties agreed on the following:

1. The two sides condemn Israel’s continued aggression against the Palestinian people. More than 125,000 Palestinian civilians have been killed or injured in the Gaza Strip, most of them women and children. The Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip have been forced to suffer deadly famine and blockades, cutting off all their livelihoods, systematically destroying residential areas, hospitals, schools, mosques, churches and infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, and detaining and ill-treating thousands of Palestinian prisoners.
2. The two sides condemned the invasion of the city of Rafah, the bombing of refugee camps and the control of the Rafah crossing.
3. The two sides oppose the implementation of plans, intentions and acts of forcibly transfering the Palestinian people outside their national territory, which will destroy the opportunity for peace in the Middle East region and lead to the expansion and deterioration of the conflict in the region.
4. The two sides call on the Security Council to issue binding resolutions to achieve an immediate, comprehensive and sustained ceasefire, to stop the forcible transfer of the Palestinian people, to ensure the delivery of relief supplies throughout Gaza, and to implement the relevant Security Council resolutions so that life in the Gaza Strip can return to normalcy. Both sides condemn the use of the veto by the United States to prevent Palestine from becoming a full Member of the United Nations.
5. The two sides support the Interim Measures Orders issued by the International Court of Justice on 26 January, 28 March and 24 May 2024 concerning the case against Israel brought by South Africa for violating the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, and hold that Israel should comply with the relevant legal provisions, in particular international humanitarian law. Both sides stressed that Israel, as the occupying power, bears responsibility for the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza.
6. The Arab side stresses the importance of implementing the resolutions of the Extraordinary Arab-Islamic Joint Summit held in Riyadh on 11 November 2023, including breaking the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip and enabling the immediate access of humanitarian relief supplies from Arab and Islamic countries and the international community to the entire Gaza Strip by land, sea and air. The Chinese side expressed its understanding.
7. The two sides stress that peace, security and stability cannot be achieved in the region without an end to the occupation of the territory of the State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, the occupied Syrian Golan Heights and the occupied Lebanese territory. Calling upon the international community to take irreversible steps towards the independent establishment of Palestine and to achieve a political settlement based on international law and relevant international resolutions, including Security Council resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973), 497 (1981), 1515 (2003) and 2334 (2016), as well as all the elements of the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, so as to enable the Palestinian people to fulfil their legitimate and inalienable rights. These include the right to self-determination, the right to establish an independent State of Palestine based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and the right to return and reparation for Palestinian refugees under United Nations General Assembly resolution 194 (1948). The two sides support the admission of the State of Palestine as a full Member of the United Nations and reaffirmed that the two-State solution is the only realistic way out of the Palestinian question.
8. The two sides call for the convening of a larger-scale, more authoritative and more effective international peace conference as soon as possible, and the initiation of an authoritative peace process on the basis of recognised international principles. The above process should be carried out within a defined time frame and with international guarantees until the end of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967, including East Jerusalem, along with the occupied Syrian Golan Heights and the remaining occupied Lebanese territories.
9. The two sides support the Palestinian Government in carrying out its duties in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem in accordance with recognised international principles. The Gaza Strip is an integral part of the State of Palestine. Both sides stressed their support for the relief efforts of the Palestinian Government in Gaza. The two sides reaffirmed that the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) is the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people and called on all Palestinian factions to unite under the PLO banner and assume their respective responsibilities in a national partnership under the leadership of the PLO.
10. The two sides welcome the adoption by the UN General Assembly of resolution A/RES/ES-10/23 on 10 May 2024. The resolution affirmed that the State of Palestine was eligible to become a full Member of the United Nations and requires the Security Council to reconsider supporting Palestine’s accession to the United Nations and to grant more rights and interests to the State of Palestine.
11. The two sides called for support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to avoid its closure. They welcomed the resumption of funding  by some countries to the Agency, and called on countries that had frozen their funding to resume their support for the Agency. They welcomed the results of the independent investigation into the work of the Agency, recognised the neutrality and professionalism of the Agency and believe that it is indispensable and irreplaceable.
12. The two sides welcome the recent recognition of the State of Palestine by many countries, stressing that this was a driving force for achieving the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and for international and regional peace, security and stability, and called upon those countries that have not yet recognised the State of Palestine to do so as soon as possible.
13. The Arab side appreciates China’s long-standing position on supporting the Palestinian issue and the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people in bilateral and multilateral forums, and appreciates Chinese President Xi Jinping’s proposals on resolving the Palestinian question, as well as a series of initiatives and propositions put forward by China on the Palestinian question. It appreciates China’s adherence to fairness and justice on the Palestinian issue and its unremitting efforts to promote the peace process. It appreciates China’s support for Palestine in improving people’s livelihood and developing the economy, providing humanitarian assistance to Palestine, and its commitment to promoting the State of Palestine to become a full member of the United Nations.
14. Both sides stressed that Israel’s unilateral measures aimed at changing the status quo in Jerusalem are invalid and support the protection of Islamic and Christian monuments in occupied Jerusalem by the Hashemite family and its role in protecting the Arab, Islamic and Christian attributes of the city and maintaining the current historical and legal status of Jerusalem and its holy sites. The two sides stressed the need to uphold the Al-Aqsa Mosque’s current historical and legal status.
15. The two sides condemn the continued promotion by the government of Israel of the targeted settlement programme aimed at changing the existing historical and legal status of the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the occupied Syrian Golan Heights.
16. The Parties support the efforts of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco as Chairman of the Jerusalem Committee. They stressed the important role played by the Chairman of the Jerusalem Committee and the efforts of the Jerusalem Wealth House Agency, an institution under the Committee.
17. The two sides support Egypt in taking all measures to respond to the impact of the aggression in the Gaza Strip and rely on Egypt’s efforts to deliver relief supplies to the Gaza Strip in an immediate and sustained manner and in sufficient quantities. The two sides expressed their support for the measures taken by Egypt to safeguard its national security, which is also a fundamental component of the security of the Arab nation.
18. The two sides support the joint efforts of Egypt and Qatar to promote a lasting ceasefire and bring life back to normal in the Gaza Strip. Both sides support the role played by Egypt and Algeria in bringing about reconciliation among the Palestinian factions.
19. The two sides appreciate the role played by Algeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the Palestinian issue during their tenure as non-permanent members of the Security Council, including their efforts to promote the adoption of relevant UN Security Council resolutions on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and to promote the State of Palestine to become a full member of the United Nations.
20. The two sides appreciate the appeal of the Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Qatar for immediate action to help all Palestinian orphans who have lost their parents and families as a result of the aggression against Gaza. They call on all states and the international community to work together to provide the necessary medical and psychological support to orphans and amputee children within the framework of the relevant efforts of the League of Arab States.
21. The two sides appreciate Algeria’s efforts to support the question of Palestine at the political and material levels, as well as President Tebboune’s active efforts, in particular the convening of the intra-Palestinian reconciliation conference among the various factions on 13 October 2022 and the adoption of the Algiers Declaration, which is a positive step on the road to national unity in Palestine.

May 15 marked the 76th anniversary of the Nakba, the catastrophe that saw the destruction of the historic Palestinian homeland and the uprooting and ethnic cleansing of the indigenous population at the hands of Zionist colonisers in 1948.

At the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s regular press conference that day, spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that:

“Seventy-six years on, the historical injustice suffered by the Palestinian people, far from being redressed, has further worsened. Today’s Gaza Strip is left in ruins and rubble. Those wounded and ill cannot receive timely treatment, those hungry cannot obtain necessities, and those escaping from the disaster have nowhere to go.

“People cannot help but ask, for how long will the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza drag on and when will the Palestinian people be able to see an end to their suffering?”

Reporting Wang’s remarks, the Palestine Chronicle further recapped China’s recent expressions of support for the struggle of the Palestinian people, including repeated calls for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, support for Palestine’s full membership in the United Nations, and affirming, at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the legality of the Palestinian armed struggle against occupation. In this regard, it recalled Chinese official Ma Xinmin’s statement to the ICJ that:

“The struggle waged by peoples for their liberation and right to self-determination, including armed struggle against colonialism, occupation and aggression, should not be considered terror acts.”

The following article was originally published by Palestine Chronicle.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said during a press conference on Wednesday that the “historical injustice” of the Nakba “has further worsened”.

Wenbin’s remarks were made during his regular press conference on May 15, which marked the 76th anniversary of the Nakba, the Catastrophe, the destruction of the Palestinian homeland – historic Palestine – and the mass ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian population in 1948. 

“Seventy-six years on, the historical injustice suffered by the Palestinian people, far from being redressed, has further worsened,” Wenbin said.

“Today’s Gaza Strip is left in ruins and rubble. Those wounded and ill cannot receive timely treatment, those hungry cannot obtain basic necessities, and those escaping from the disaster have nowhere to go,” the Chinese official added.

“People cannot help but ask, for how long will the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza drag on and when will the Palestinian people be able to see an end to their suffering?”

Wenbin also reiterated that “China firmly opposes the expansion of the fighting to Rafah and opposes collective punishment on the people in Gaza.”

He also said that China continues to “support the establishment of an independent State of Palestine that enjoys full sovereignty based on the 1967 border and with east Jerusalem as its capital.”

Calls for Ceasefire

China has repeatedly called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and affirmed its support for full membership of Palestine in the United Nations. 

During a press conference on the sidelines of the second session of the National Council in Beijing last March, the Chinese minister said that “the failure to end this humanitarian disaster today, in the 21st century, is a tragedy for humanity and disgrace for civilization,”

“Nothing justifies the protraction of the conflict or the killing of the civilian population,” he added.

Wang Yi also affirmed his country’s strong support for the “just cause of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights”.

He stressed that China “will continue to work with the international community to restore peace, save lives, and uphold justice” adding that China supports “Palestine’s bid to become a full member state of the United Nations.”

Right to Armed Struggle

On February 21, China sharply criticized the United States for vetoing a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Beijing said the move effectively gave a “green light to the continued slaughter” of Palestinians.

One day later, addressing the International Court of Justice, the Chinese representative said the Palestinians’ use of armed struggle to gain independence from foreign and colonial rule is “legitimate” and “well-founded” in international law.

“In pursuit of the right to self-determination, Palestinian people’s use of force to resist foreign oppression and complete the establishment of an independent state is (an) inalienable right well founded in international law,” Ma Xinmin told the ICJ in The Hague.

Citing resolutions by the UN General Assembly, Beijing’s envoy to the top world court said that people struggling for self-determination could use “all available means, including armed struggle.”

“The struggle waged by peoples for their liberation, right to self-determination, including armed struggle against colonialism, occupation, aggression, domination against foreign forces should not be considered terror acts,” Ma stated in his address to the ICJ, citing international conventions.

Genocide Continues

Currently on trial before the International Court of Justice for genocide against Palestinians, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza since October 7. 

According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 35,233 Palestinians have been killed, and 79,141.

Moreover, at least 11,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip. 

Palestinian and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.

The Israeli war has resulted in an acute famine, mostly in northern Gaza, resulting in the death of many Palestinians, mostly children.

The Israeli aggression has also resulted in the forceful displacement of nearly two million people from all over the Gaza Strip, with the vast majority of the displaced forced into the densely crowded southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt – in what has become Palestine’s largest mass exodus since the 1948 Nakba. 

Israel says that 1,200 soldiers and civilians were killed during the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7. Israeli media published reports suggesting that many Israelis were killed on that day by ‘friendly fire’.