Chinese UN envoy urges halt to settlement activities and violence in West Bank

A Chinese envoy to the United Nations on Tuesday called for immediate action to curb escalating violence in the occupied Palestinian territories, urging Israel to halt settlement activities and fully implement the Gaza ceasefire agreement.

Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, told an emergency Security Council meeting on the Palestinian question that China is "deeply concerned" about the recent escalation and mounting civilian casualties.

"The Palestinian issue must not be ignored or marginalized," Fu said, calling on the international community to act swiftly to stop violence, save innocent lives and uphold justice.

Fu said the situation in both the West Bank and Gaza has deteriorated sharply, with the Palestinian people enduring mounting suffering. "The root cause is that the basic principles of international law have not been observed, and the Palestinian people's rights to survival and development have long been disregarded," he said.

"Palestinian lives are as precious as those of any other people," Fu said, calling on the international community to safeguard the equal rights of the Palestinian people and uphold international fairness and justice.

The situation in the West Bank is dangerously escalating, Fu said, citing settlement expansion, violations and damage to religious sites, blockades of refugee camps, mass arrests and growing settler violence.

Four Palestinians and one Israeli were killed in a recent incident in the West Bank, according to a statement by the Palestinian Health Ministry.

A total of 1,122 Palestinians have been killed in the occupied West Bank between the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict on Oct 7, 2023, and July 2026, including 76 killed this year, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

"Protecting civilians is not an empty slogan, but an obligation of the occupying power under international law," he said.

"Israel must implement Security Council Resolution 2334, halt settlement activities, curb settler violence and ensure serious accountability," Fu said, adding that the normal functioning of the UN agency in accordance with its mandate must be respected.

He also said China is concerned over the situation in Gaza, saying that Israeli military operations had continued despite progress announced on arrangements for the second phase of the ceasefire agreement.

The ceasefire agreement has been reached for 300 days, yet a lasting ceasefire has still not been achieved, Fu noted. "The fundamental problem is not the lack of a ceasefire plan, but the lack of political will for a ceasefire," he said.

Fu called on Israel and relevant parties to "sincerely and fully" implement the Gaza ceasefire agreement and urged Israel to abide by international humanitarian law and lift restrictions on the entry of humanitarian supplies. "Countries with significant influence over the parties concerned should take concrete actions to ease the situation," he added.

Fu also reiterated China's support for the two-state solution, saying "Gaza and the West Bank are inseparable parts of the Palestinian state".

"Israel should end its illegal occupation of Palestinian territory as soon as possible and stop undermining the governance foundations of the Palestinian National Authority," he said.

China will continue to support the Palestinian people's pursuit of their legitimate national rights and work toward restoring peace and stability in the region, Fu said.

minluzhang@chinadailyusa.com