By Cao Xiaolin
Cao Xiaolin, China’s Ambassador to Qatar, criticizes, in an article published in the Al-Jazeera Arabic website, the US approach to Gaza and advocating for a just resolution to the Palestinian issue.
So far, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict – since October 7 – has resulted in the deaths of more than 48,000 people, injuries to over 110,000, and the displacement of more than two million in Gaza, making it the bloodiest conflict in the Middle East in 20 years.
Although the ceasefire agreement has given a glimmer of hope to Gaza, which is suffering from devastation, the statements made by the US President about “evacuating Gaza,” “controlling it,” “long-term ownership,” and “economic development” create a new and greater obstacle to Gaza’s reconstruction.
America is the primary responsible party for the continuation of the unresolved Palestinian-Israeli conflict. According to a statistical report from Brown University, the US provided at least $17.9 billion in military aid to Israel in one year of the conflict.
On February 4, the White House issued an executive order to halt funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), but on February 7, it announced a plan to sell $7.4 billion worth of weapons to Israel, revealing the truth that ‘aid to Gaza can be cut off, but weapons for an ally cannot.’
Without the uninterrupted military support from the US to Israel and its repeated use of the veto in the Security Council to prevent a ceasefire in Gaza, Gaza would not have turned into a “hell on earth.”
The US President’s recent statements about “evacuating Gaza” and “using American authority to control Gaza” show the American administration’s lack of respect for the Palestinian people.
“American control of Gaza” threatens peace and stability in the Middle East. Gaza is the homeland of the Palestinian people and an inseparable part of Palestinian territory, not a “large piece of real estate” for sale, nor should it be a victim of international politics.
If America “controls Gaza” and forcibly displaces its local population, it would be an illegal seizure of Palestinian rights, a serious violation of Palestinian sovereignty, and a severe destruction of international law and the global order, exacerbating the conflict between the Palestinian and Israeli sides and causing a historic setback in the peace process.
Dozens of UN human rights special rapporteurs issued a joint statement condemning the American proposal to “control Gaza,” emphasizing that it would destroy the international order and the fundamental principles of the UN Charter, return the world to the era of colonialism, and have catastrophic consequences for global peace and human rights.
Anyone familiar with Middle Eastern affairs understands that this plan is extremely dangerous and will make the situation more complicated, showing that the American side does not fully understand what is happening here. On February 21, the US President stated in an interview that he would not impose this proposal by force, indicating that he also recognizes its impracticality.
Resolving the Palestinian issue requires a commitment to justice and fairness. The Palestinian issue is central to peace and stability in the Middle East. The historical injustice suffered by the Palestinian people cannot continue indefinitely, their legitimate national rights cannot be compromised, and their aspirations for an independent state cannot be denied.
Gaza has endured enough destruction from the fires of war. The international community, especially major powers, must work together to provide humanitarian aid and contribute to Gaza’s reconstruction in its time of need, rather than worsening the situation.
The solution to the Palestinian issue must respect the consensus of Arab states and not impose the so-called “Gaza evacuation plan,” which is unreasonable, unethical, and unjust, on others.
China will continue to play a positive role in advancing the resolution of the Palestinian issue.
China firmly supports the legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people, believes that “Palestinian governance by Palestinians” is the essential principle for post-war governance in Gaza, rejects the forced displacement of Gaza’s population, and supports the full and continuous implementation of the three-phase ceasefire agreement.
As a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a responsible major country, China will continue to uphold justice and fairness, work with the international community to steadfastly promote peace and dialogue, adopt the “two-state solution” as the fundamental path, support the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with full sovereignty based on the 1967 borders and East Jerusalem as its capital, support Palestine’s full membership in the UN, and make positive contributions to achieving a comprehensive, just, and lasting resolution to the Palestinian issue as soon as possible.
(Published in Al-Jazeera Arabic website – Translated and prepared by The Palestine Chronicle)
