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Chinese envoy calls for resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks
CGTN
Palestinian building is bombed by Israeli forces in the village of Sur Baher which sits on either side of the Israeli barrier in East Jerusalem and the Israeli-occupied West Bank, July 22, 2019. /CFP

Palestinian building is bombed by Israeli forces in the village of Sur Baher which sits on either side of the Israeli barrier in East Jerusalem and the Israeli-occupied West Bank, July 22, 2019. /CFP

China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations called for the resumption of peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians.

As close neighbors that cannot physically move away from each other, Palestinians and Israelis must adhere to the strategic option of peace talks and relaunch equal-footed dialogue without delay, said Chinese envoy Geng Shuang on Monday.

China welcomed the initiative of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to convene an international peace conference early next year, and commended the two parties for restarting civil and security cooperation and resuming the transfer of tax revenues, Geng told a Security Council meeting on the Middle East.

International players must remain impartial and objective and work in good faith to advance the Middle East peace process. Any solution to the Palestinian question must heed the voices of regional countries, especially the Palestinians, accommodate the concerns of all parties, and must not be imposed on any party, he said.

The relevant UN resolutions, the land-for-peace principle and the two-state solution, which represent the wisdom and painstaking work of generations, must be observed and implemented, Geng noted.

China notes with concern the continuation and significant expansion of settlement activities in Palestinian territory. China calls on all parties concerned to abide by UN resolutions, settle the final delineation of the Palestinian-Israeli borders through peaceful negotiation, refrain from unilateral actions that may aggravate tensions, abandon annexation plans, and cease settlement activities, he said.

Palestinian schoolchildren clad in masks and face-shields due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in Gaza City, November 18, 2020. /CFP

Palestinian schoolchildren clad in masks and face-shields due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in Gaza City, November 18, 2020. /CFP

The past months have witnessed the increased demolition of Palestinian houses and violence against civilians.

China urges the authorities concerned to immediately lift the blockade on Gaza, stop demolishing Palestinian houses and destroying Palestinian property, and prevent acts of violence against civilians, he said.

The international community must place high on its agenda the economic and humanitarian impacts of COVID-19 on Palestinians. China applauds the unremitting efforts of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to improve the Palestinian humanitarian situation, said Geng.

At this very moment when UNRWA is under a tremendous financial strain, the world needs to honor its commitments and pitch in with financial contributions to help the agency tide over the current difficulties, he said.

Having provided a large quantity of personal protective equipment and other anti-epidemic supplies to Palestinians, Geng said China is ready to continue working with the international community in an unwavering effort toward a comprehensive, just and lasting solution of the Palestinian question at an early date.

(With input from Xinhua News Agency)

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