China Urges Israel to End Illegal Occupation at UN

Fu on Tuesday urged Israel to heed the strong call of the international community by immediately ending its unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territory. (Xinhua/Xie E)

The Palestinian Israeli conflict has been dragging on for over seven decades, generations of Palestinians have lost their homes and be displaced. It’s a gaping wound of the world today. Decades of occupation and oppression have inflicted untold suffering on the Palestinian people and made the long-cherished dream of independent statehood ever more elusive.

Ending the occupation is not an option, but a legal obligation for Israel.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ), in its advisory opinion, issued on 19th of July, unequivocally concluded that Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is a violation of international law, which impedes the realization of self-determination of the Palestinian people, and that Israel is under an obligation to immediately bring to an end, its unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territory.

The advisory opinion of ICJ affirms the longstanding consensus of the international community and pinpoints the crux of the Palestinian question. We urge Israel to heed the strong call of the international community by immediately ending its unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territory.

Ending the occupation is to redress historical injustice, and more importantly, lay the foundation for peace, independent statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people as a nation, which is unquestionable and undeniable. The prolonged illegal occupation has hindered the realization of self-determination of the Palestinian people. And given Israel, an exclusive veto over Palestine, this is unacceptable. History offers ample proof that occupation would not make Israel more secure, but would only breed more hatred and antagonism, and the seeds of instability throughout the Middle East
Only a Complete end to the occupation and the establishment of the independent state of Palestine will truly make it possible for Palestine and Israel to live side by side in peace, for the two peoples to live together in peace and tranquility, and to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East.

The implementation of the two-state solution is the only viable way to resolve the question of Palestine, which is the broad consensus of the international community. It is worrying to hear Israel’s repeated rhetoric, rejecting the two-state solution. The 11-month long conflict in Gaza has made the prospect of the two-state solution, even more remote. The international community should make greater efforts. It demands that Israel implement the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly seize its military operations in Gaza and stop its illegal settlement activities in the West Bank.

China advocates the convening of a broader base and more effective international peace conference to revitalize the political prospects of the two-state solution, and to work out a timetable and a roadmap for its implementation.
President, today is a historic moment. The state of Palestine has taken a seat among member states, and introduced a draft resolution to the General Assembly that focuses on the implementation of the advisory opinion of the ICJ. China will vote in favor of the draft resolution. We hope that this General Assembly resolution will give new impetus to ending the occupation, implementing the two-state solution and advancing the middle is the peace process.

Thank you, president.