Chinese, Saudi Arabian FMs hold phone talks on Palestinian-Israeli conflict

BEIJING - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday held a phone conversation with Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, noted that all parties should refrain from any actions that escalate the situation and should return to the negotiating table as soon as possible.

China opposes and condemns all acts that harm civilians because they violate the basic human conscience and the basic norms of international relations, Wang said.

Israel's actions have gone beyond self-defense and it should heed the call of the international community and the Secretary-General of the United Nations to stop its collective punishment of the people in Gaza, he said.

China is in intensive communication with all parties to push for a ceasefire and an end to the fighting, he said, adding that the pressing task is to ensure the safety of civilians, open humanitarian corridors for aid as soon as possible, and protect the basic needs of the people in Gaza.

Noting that China believes that the historical injustices against Palestine have lasted for more than half a century and cannot go on, he said that all countries that love peace and uphold justice should speak up and clearly call for early implementation of the two-state solution.

China stands ready to work with Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries to continue supporting the Palestinians' just cause of restoring their national rights and bring the Palestinian question back to the right track of the two-state solution so that it can be resolved comprehensively, justly and permanently, said Wang.

For his part, Faisal said that Saudi Arabia, deeply concerned about the current development of the Palestinian-Israeli situation, condemns all attacks on civilians and opposes Israel's forced relocation of people in Gaza outside the area.

It is imperative that humanitarian supplies reach the people in Gaza as soon as possible, Faisal said, expressing the hope that the international community will work together to prevent the conflict from spreading to other countries.

Saudi Arabia believes that without the implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, there can be no just and permanent solutions to the Palestinian question, he said.

Noting that China plays an important and fundamental role in promoting world peace and stability, Faisal said that Saudi Arabia stands ready to work with China to urge all parties to observe the international humanitarian law, protect civilians from harm, and implement relevant Security Council resolutions on the Palestinian question.