[Salon] Chinese FM says Israel’s actions go beyond self-defense, calls to avoid collective punishment of Gaza people
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- Date: Sun, 15 Oct 2023 09:56:49 -0400
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Chinese FM says Israel’s actions go beyond self-defense, calls to avoid collective punishment of Gaza people
Photo:AFP
China's
top diplomat Wang Yi said Israel's actions have gone beyond the scope
of self-defense, expressing concerns about the escalating
Israel-Palestine conflict as Israel ordered one million people from the
northern part of Gaza to evacuate within 24 hours as it prepared for a
ground assault.
In
his phone call with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al
Saud on Saturday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China opposes
and condemns all acts that harm civilians, as they violate basic human
conscience and the fundamental principles of international law.
Israel's
actions go beyond the scope of self-defense. It should heed the calls
of the international community and the UN Secretary-General and avoid
collective punishment of the people of Gaza, Wang said.
Israel
was preparing on Saturday to launch a ground assault in the
Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, after telling Palestinians living in the
densely populated territory to flee south toward a closed border with
Egypt, Reuters reported.
Israeli
national security adviser meanwhile warned Lebanese militant group
Hezbollah not to start a war on a second front, threatening the
"destruction of Lebanon" if it did, according to the media report.
UN
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Friday that the relocation
of Gaza residents from the north to the south "is extremely dangerous -
and in some cases, simply not possible."
The
Chinese Foreign Minister said all parties should not take any actions
that escalate the situation, and instead should return to the
negotiation table as soon as possible. China is actively communicating
with all parties to push for a ceasefire. The immediate priority is to
ensure the safety of civilians, quickly open humanitarian rescue
channels, and meet the basic needs of the people of Gaza, Wang said.
China's
special envoy on the Middle East Affairs Zhai Jun will visit relevant
countries in the Middle East next week to further strengthen
coordination with all parties, he was quoted as saying in media reports
on Sunday.
The
Israel-Palestine conflict continues to escalate. Armed conflicts have
erupted at the Israel-Lebanon and Israel-Syria borders, and the
spill-over effects on the regional and international community are
spreading, Zhai noted. The international community must remain highly
vigilant and collectively manage and control the situation to prevent it
from spiraling out of control, he said.
China
has always maintained that force is never the solution. Resorting to
violence will only lead to a vicious cycle of retribution, creating
further obstacles to a political resolution, Zhai noted. And it is
imperative to cease fire and violence promptly, cool down the situation,
and thus pave the way for a political solution.
Since
the onset of this round of conflict, China has been actively
communicating and coordinating with relevant parties. China's special
envoy recently had phone conversations with foreign ministers and
officials from Palestine, Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and
others.
They
all hope to end the hostilities, condemn acts that harm civilians, and
avoid humanitarian disasters. They also hope to restore the Middle East
peace process, Zhai revealed.
Currently,
several Chinese citizens remain in the Gaza Strip, he said. In recent
days, our overseas institutions have maintained close contact with them,
providing safety guidance and support, assisting them in moving to the
southern part of Gaza, and striving for their early evacuation to safe
areas.
So
far, four Chinese nationals have been killed, six are receiving
treatment in local hospitals, and two are missing in the latest
conflict.
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