China urges Israel to halt West Bank settlements in meeting with Herzog
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Israeli President Isaac Herzog that Israel should stop and reverse its "forced establishment" of settlements in the West Bank, the Chinese foreign ministry said. Wang also called for full access to Gaza to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe and urged a return to
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has told Israeli President Isaac Herzog that Israel should stop and reverse its "forced establishment" of settlements in the West Bank, China's foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday.
Wang made the remarks during a meeting with Herzog in Azerbaijan, where he said China has consistently held that the Palestinian question is the greatest historical injustice of this century.
Wang said promoting peace and reconciliation in the region is the "cornerstone" of China's Middle East policy. He added that Beijing believes the "two-state solution" is the right path to a resolution and that the immediate priority is to fully open access to the Gaza Strip so a humanitarian "catastrophe" is not allowed to spread.
China is willing to work with the international community to push all parties to return to dialogue and consultation as soon as possible and seek a political settlement of the conflict, Wang added.
China has long been a supporter of the Palestinian cause, and Beijing also has close ties with Israel's main regional foe, Iran.