Israel-Palestine conflict: China asks UN to act and 'find support for two-state solution'

As the Israel-Palestine violence continues to escalate with no endgame in sight, China urged the United Nations Security Council to act on the conflict and push for de-escalation. China, on May 13, expressed "high degree of concern" over the deadly clashes while asking the UN to act. The Xi Jinping-led country also expressed regret that the UN Security Council had not passed a proposed statement on tensions. 

China's statement comes amid the ongoing clashes as both sides continue to engage in violent attacks with Palestinians launching rockets from Gaza and Israel unleashing new airstrikes. World leaders have been urging both sides to show restraint while US President Biden supported Israel's right to protect itself. At least 83 people have been killed in Gaza so far as Palestinians refuse to budge.

"China expresses a high degree of concern regarding the current situation between Palestine and Israel," said foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying during a regular press briefing. 

China speaks on Israel-Palestine conflict

China said that it was ready to draft and circulate a statement on behalf of the body adding that "no agreement has been reached so far." Blaming the obstruction of individual countries, China demanded that the council 'should take action.'

“China and other countries have drafted and disseminated a statement, the majority of countries have supported it and called for its immediate release, but very regrettably the UN Security Council has failed to reach a consensus,” Hua Chunying added. 

"The Security Council should take action, reiterate its commitment to and firm support for the two-state solution."

The security council will hold an emergency meeting on May 14 at the request of Tunisia, Norway and China. Earlier on May 12, another emergency meeting ended without an agreement as due to opposition from the United States. China is one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and holds the rotating presidency this month. 

“China believes that the Security Council should do something to reaffirm commitment and firm support to the two-state solution, and firmly push for de-escalation,” Hua said. “As the president … China will continue to push for the Security Council to take action on the situation in East Jerusalem.”

US supports Israel's right to protect

According to reports, the US had told the security council meeting that it is “working behind the scenes” to calm the situation and it was “not sure that a statement at this point would help”. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said a US envoy would travel to the Middle East in an effort to calm tensions. In his first response ever since the Hamas rocket attacks erupted, Biden said that he hopes that the hostilities will come to an end soon. 

While speaking to the press, Biden said, "My expectation and hope is that this will be closing down sooner than later. But Israel has a right to defend itself when you have thousands of rockets flying into your territory. But I had a conversation for a while with the Prime Minister of Israel. And I think that my hope is that we will see this coming to a conclusion sooner than later."