Remarks on the Situation in the Middle East by China’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Fu Cong at the UN Security Council Open Debate

President, 

I welcome Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani presiding over today's meeting. I thank Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari, Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, and Mr. Tony Blair for their briefings.

For some time, the Middle East situation has escalated dramatically with widespread consequences, gravely disrupting regional stability and affecting the global economy and energy security. President Xi Jinping has solemnly put forward a four-point proposal on maintaining and promoting peace and stability in the Middle East, including upholding the principles of peaceful coexistence, national sovereignty, international rule of law, and balancing development and security, providing China's solution for ending conflict and achieving peace. The current situation stands at a critical stage of transition from war to peace. China urges all parties to seize this window of peace, exercise utmost restraint, demonstrate maximum sincerity, and remain steadfast in the direction of a political settlement to prevent any retrogression in the momentum of the ceasefire and negotiations, and strive for the early restoration of stability in the Middle East and the Gulf region. 

President, 

The Palestinian question has always been at the heart of the Middle East issue, and must not be marginalized under any circumstances. For decades, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has revolved in cycles. Its fundamental crux is that the two-State solution is only half-realized. The State of Israel was established long ago, while the State of Palestine remains out of reach. Although intense clashes have come to a halt, the Palestinian people are still forced to keep company with death and suffering, the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories continues to worsen, and the foundation of the two-State solution risks being completely hollowed out. Turmoil and war are not the fate of the Palestinian people. The international community must summon the greatest sense of urgency to reverse this negative trajectory and rectify the historic injustice endured by Palestine. I wish to make three points. 

First, Gaza is not a permanent battlefield, and the suffering of its civilians must cease immediately. While efforts by the international community to broker a ceasefire in Gaza are welcome, the most pressing task remains cementing the ceasefire and scaling up aid. Since October last year, Israel has relentlessly mounted attacks and fortified its military presence, resulting in over 800 fatalities and more than 2,000 wounded. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza remains dire, characterized by scarcity of essential supplies, deplorable sanitary conditions, and a medical system teetering on the precipice of total collapse. China calls on all concerned parties, especially Israel, to fully abide by the ceasefire agreement to ensure a comprehensive and durable ceasefire throughout Gaza. Israel must fulfill its international humanitarian law obligations, dismantle all barriers to humanitarian access, and guarantee that UNRWA and other humanitarian agencies can carry out their aid work.

Second, settlement activities are unacceptable, and tensions in the West Bank must be deescalated. Israel is currently accelerating the expansion of settlements, having recently approved the construction of 34 additional settlements and initiating the rebuilding of the Sanur settlement, which had been shuttered for many years. The escalating violence in the West Bank is equally concerning. Settler violence is intensifying, and the occupying power frequently conducts searches, arrests, and raids, even promulgating death penalty legislation specifically targeting Palestinians, which dangerously heightens tensions. Settlement activities contravene international law and Security Council resolutions. Prolonging the illegal occupation will not make either party feel safer. Rather, it will intensify a vicious cycle. Israel must heed the strong appeals of the international community, immediately halt illegal settlement activities, effectively curb settler violence, and ensure robust accountability for all attacks.

Third, the two-State solution is non-negotiable, and the independent statehood of Palestine must be supported. It is deeply concerning that voices opposing the two-State solution continue to come from Israel, with some even threatening to strangle the idea of a Palestinian state. The two-State solution remains the only viable pathway to resolving the Palestinian question. Any unilateral action that erodes its foundation must be firmly rejected, and any future arrangements or formation of new mechanisms must adhere to the principle of Palestinians governing Palestine, serving to promote, rather than undermine, the two-State solution. We commend the successful municipal elections held in Palestine last week. The international community must increase support for Palestine to advance the early establishment of a fully sovereign and independent state of Palestine based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

China stands ready to continue working alongside the international community to bring an end to the suffering of the Palestinian people, implement the two-State solution, and achieve a comprehensive, just, and lasting solution to the Palestinian question at an early date. 

Thank you, President.