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Israel-Gaza war: the 2 things Israel wants China to do to help restore peace in the Middle East
- China’s diplomatic efforts to stop the war appear to largely revolve around influencing Middle Eastern nations other than Israel
- Even while seen as having some diplomatic sway with Iran, China does not seem willing or able to use its influence to affect the conflict, say analysts
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In the past month or so China has stepped away from the sidelines of the Israel-Gaza war and towards the fray.
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In mid-November, foreign ministers from Arab and Islamic countries stopped in the Chinese capital in their shuttle diplomacy to find an end to the conflict.
Later that month, Beijing released a five-point position paper, urging the UN Security Council to draw up a “concrete” timeline and road map for a two-state solution.
Then earlier this month Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called his Iranian counterpart – again – as fears persisted that a second front could open along the Lebanon border.
The engagement is just part of a series of efforts by China to contribute to a resolution to a conflict that risks spreading to the broader region.
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But for Israel, the process is so far missing a crucial step – analysts say Israel would expect Beijing to adopt a “balanced” stance by first condemning Hamas’ actions and using its leverage over Iran to prevent a spillover of the conflict.
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