Chinese envoy says Israel must cease Rafah offensive

UNITED NATIONS, May 20 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy said Monday that Israel must immediately cease its military offensive in Rafah city in the Gaza Strip.

Facing strong opposition from the international community, Israel is still pushing ahead with its large-scale offensive on Rafah, once again driving hundreds of thousands of Gazans into displacement, said Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, expressing China's grave concern about and strong opposition to the operation.

"Nothing can justify the perpetuation of conflict. The collective punishment of civilians does not create conditions conducive to the rescue of hostages. Israel must immediately cease its military operation in Rafah," he told the UN Security Council.

China supports further Security Council actions to ensure the implementation of its Resolution 2728, which demands a humanitarian cease-fire, Fu said, adding China also hopes that the United States, as the country with major influence on Israel, can uphold impartiality and effectively facilitate a cease-fire and cessation of hostilities.

The current humanitarian disaster in Gaza is inconceivable. The occupation of the Rafah border crossing has seriously hindered access to humanitarian aid, as humanitarian supplies from Jordan to Gaza have been blocked and sabotaged, and humanitarian workers and UN personnel are confronted with multiple obstacles and even risks to their lives, which is unacceptable, said Fu.

Land routes are crucial for humanitarian delivery and have no substitute, he said, noting Israel should effectively comply with its obligations under international law and international humanitarian law by immediately opening up all land crossings and ensuring the supply of food, medicine, fuel, and other necessities.

Noting the two-state solution is the only viable way to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli issue, Fu said China supports the establishment of an independent state of Palestine and its early admission as a full member of the United Nations.

Gaza is an inalienable part of Palestine, the Chinese envoy said, adding any proposal on post-war governance of Gaza should respect the will of the Palestinian people, should respect the legitimate concerns of the countries in the region, and should not deviate from the general direction of the two-state solution.

May 15 marked the 76th anniversary of Nakba, the massive exodus of Palestinians that occurred in 1948 following the establishment of the state of Israel, Fu noted. For decades, generations of Palestinians have made arduous struggles for their legitimate rights, he added.

China will continue to work tirelessly together with the international community to promote an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, alleviate the humanitarian disaster, and implement the two-state solution, so that Nakba will forever be the past, and Palestine and Israel can live side by side in peace, and the Middle East can enjoy lasting peace and stability, Fu said.