Further war and chaos in Middle East not in any party’s interest, China tells Israel

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA (AA) – Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday said that further war and chaos in the Middle East are not in the interests of any party, reiterating his call for a cease-fire in Gaza.

During a phone call with his Israeli counterpart, Israel Katz, Beijing’s top diplomat said the Gaza conflict once again shows that the Palestinian issue remains the “core of the Middle East issue,” said the foreign ministry in a statement.

Wang reiterated his call for “immediately” achieving a “comprehensive” and “permanent” cease-fire in Gaza, releasing all hostages, and ensuring unimpeded humanitarian aid access to Gaza.

The conversation was held at Katz’s request, who introduced Israel's “views and concerns on the regional situation,” said the statement.

“The voice of the international community is very clear, that is, it hopes to return to the political settlement track of the two-state solution as soon as possible, and ultimately achieve the peaceful coexistence of the two states of Israel and Palestine and the harmonious coexistence of the Jewish and Arab peoples,” Wang further said.

Regardless of country or race, he went on to say, “all” lives are equally precious, and the humanitarian disaster in Gaza should not continue.

“Fighting violence with violence cannot truly resolve the legitimate concerns of all parties. This is the right way for all parties, including Israel, to achieve stability and lasting security,” maintained Wang.

About Israel-Iran tensions, Wang said that China is “highly” concerned about the tension between the two countries.

“We hope that all parties will act prudently to avoid the situation falling into a vicious cycle, “ he added.

He said China, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, always stands on the side of peace, international law, facts and truth, adding that Beijing will continue to "play a constructive role" in promoting the cooling of the situation and restoring regional peace.

Wang urged Tel Aviv to take “concrete” measures to ensure the safety of UN peacekeepers in Lebanon.

The two sides also exchanged views on China-Israel relations.

Katz, for his part, said that developing relations with China is Israel's established policy and is in the common interests of the two countries.

The Israeli government adheres to its “consistent” position on the Taiwan issue, he added.

Wang said that China's policy towards Israel remains continuous and stable, and is willing to resume exchanges in all aspects as soon as possible as the situation eases, so as to promote the sustainable development of the innovative comprehensive partnership between the two countries.

He hoped that Israel will take effective measures to protect the safety of Chinese institutions and citizens in Israel.