At a news conference in Beijing, China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi stated that the cause of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war was “historical injustice” against Palestinians.
The news conference on Friday, October 13, 2023, came after Wang Yi met with EU’s foreign policy Chief, Josep Borrell, who is on a visit to China.
“The root of this problem lies in the long delay in the realisation of Palestine’s aspiration to establish an independent state, and in the fact that the historical injustice suffered by the Palestinian people has not been corrected,” Wang Yi told reporters.
Wang opined that the right way to resolve the war was to advance the “two-state solution” and resume peace talks as quickly as possible.
“The United Nations should play its due role in resolving the Palestinian issue,” Wang said.
Wang Yi’s comments mirror Richard Boyd Barrett’s stance.
Earlier on Friday, Irish Member of Parliament, Richard Boyd Barrett told a news agency that Israel and its allies were casting current events as if there had been no history to the attack staged by Hamas on Saturday, October 7, 2023.
Barrett said Israel was relying on the lack of historical knowledge among significant sections of the public in the US and Europe to cast Hamas’s actions as unwarranted despite decades of occupation and 17 years of the blockade on Gaza.
“They start the plot of this story at what happened this weekend as if there was no other plot prior to that but we all know that’s not true.”
Richard Boyd Barrett
Wang, who reiterated that China condemned all acts that harm civilians and opposed any violation of international law, also said relevant countries must avoid causing an even bigger blow to international and regional security.
He said China was communicating with key parties over the Israel-Hamas conflict and would take part in emergency U.N. Security Council sessions on the matter. A special Chinese envoy for Middle East peace would visit relevant countries for talks.
“When the two-state solution is completely implemented, the Middle East will be able to enjoy lasting peace and Israel enduring security,” Wang said, alluding to Palestinians’ quest for statehood in Israel-occupied territory.
“The Palestinian question is at the heart of Middle East issues and a wound that keeps being torn open in today’s world.”
Borrell Labels Israel’s Evacuation Order As “Unrealistic”
The EU’s top diplomat Josep Borrell opined that Israel’s call for more than a million Palestinians to relocate to the enclave’s south in 24 hours was “unrealistic”.
“Certainly, civilians must be warned about incoming military operations, but it is utterly unrealistic that one million people can move in 24 hours,” Borrell told a news conference in Beijing following talks with China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi.
“EU Foreign Ministers agreed that Israel has the right to defend itself from aggression, but this has to be done in line with international law,” Borrell said.
In a statement, Amitabh Behar, the Oxfam international Executive Director also criticized the Israeli military order for citizens of Gaza to evacuate.
“The world can see that this evacuation order is both utterly inhumane and impossible; the Israeli government must rescind it immediately.
“We implore the international community to use its utmost influence to intervene – there are hospitals full of patients, women, children and elderly people who cannot move. Even for those who could move, there is no food, no water and little shelter. This must be stopped.”
Amitabh Behar
“It is incumbent upon Israel to obey international humanitarian law; they must distinguish between military and civilian targets,” Behar emphasized.
He added, “We call on it to immediately recall this order and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.”
Meanwhile, Israeli attacks continue as people flee north Gaza.
The enclave’s health ministry revealed that at least 1,799 people have been killed and 6,388 wounded in Israeli air attacks. In Israel, the number of people killed following Hamas’s attack stood at more than 1,300, with some 3,400 wounded.
READ ALSO: Gallant Echoes Call for Palestinians To Move To Southern Gaza
