China urges Israel to stop ‘provocations’ and ‘encroachment’ as Palestinian tensions flare

Chinese envoy to the UN issues strong rebuke of illegal West Bank settlements and right-wing Israeli official’s visit to Jerusalem holy site

Beijing is stepping up mediator role in Middle East conflicts, having helped broker a peace deal for Saudi Arabia and Iran earlier this year

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“China will continue to firmly support the Palestinian people and their just cause to restore their legitimate national rights,” said Chinese ambassador to the UN Geng Shuang on Wednesday. Photo: Getty Images

Published: 3:00pm, 25 May 2023Updated: 3:32pm, 25 May 2023

China urged Israel to stop “provocations” and “encroachment” on Palestinian land and resources in a strong rebuke of illegal West Bank settlements and a recent holy site visit by an extremist Israeli official.

Chinese ambassador to the UN Geng Shuang called on Israel to de-escalate tensions, which have flared since the country signed an order last week paving the way for more Israeli settlements in the northern West Bank.

The situation worsened after Israel’s far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir declared the country was “in charge” during a visit to a sensitive holy site within the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem. The mosque is the third-holiest site in Islam, and Palestinians consider it a national symbol.

At a UN briefing on the Middle East on Wednesday, Geng said Israel must respect the historical status quo of religious holy sites in Jerusalem and immediately halt illegal expansion of settlements in the occupied territories.

He also called for an end to violence against civilians, urging Israel to lift the blockade of the Gaza Strip to guarantee the flow of people and supplies.

“Upholding the historical status quo of religious holy sites, ceasing expansion of settlements, and respecting international humanitarian law are the fundamental requirements for preventing the repeated escalations of tensions between Palestine and Israel,” he said.

“The parties concerned are duty-bound to implement them and should not use them as bargaining chips. The international community has the responsibility to ensure their implementation and should not be indifferent.”

“China will continue to firmly support the Palestinian people and their just cause to restore their legitimate national rights,” he added.