China pledges to facilitate Palestinian-Israeli peace process

Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed China’s readiness to aid in fostering peace between Palestinians and Israelis, a commitment he made during a meeting with the Palestinian President in Beijing.

Xi emphasized that the key to resolving the Palestinian issue is the creation of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, as outlined in a 1967 U.N. Security Council resolution, a stance which Israel has historically disputed.

President Xi also called upon the international community to enhance development aid and humanitarian support to Palestinians.

The Palestinian territories in question, including the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem, were occupied by Israel during the 1967 Middle East war.

Despite withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, Israel continues to expand settlements in the West Bank and upholds Jerusalem as its indivisible capital.

The internal divisions within Palestine, particularly between the Islamist Hamas movement that governs Gaza and the Palestinian Authority that exercises limited self-rule in the West Bank, further complicate the peace process.

The US-brokered peace talks have been on hold since 2014.

Palestinian President Abbas’ visit to Beijing was aimed at affirming Chinese support for a Palestinian state, following unsuccessful attempts to meet with U.S. officials at the United Nations General Assembly last year.

In recent years, China has fostered good relations with Palestinians and touted its mediation skills, with some success noted in its facilitation of the restoration of diplomatic ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia in March.

During Abbas’ visit, both leaders announced the establishment of a strategic partnership and signed several bilateral documents, including an economic and technological cooperation agreement.

China’s Foreign Minister, Qin Gang, also pledged to offer “Chinese wisdom” to address the “Palestinian issue”.

With information from Reuters

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