China Urges Israel to Halt West Bank Settlements
Beijing's foreign minister calls for reversal of settlement activity and urges an end to humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has urged Israel to cease the "forced establishment" of settlements in the West Bank and to reverse its actions, according to a statement from his office.
Wang met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog on the sidelines of a conference in Azerbaijan on Thursday. During the meeting, Wang described the "Palestinian question" as the "greatest historical injustice of this century." China has long supported the Palestinian cause, advocating for a "two-state solution" as the appropriate path forward.
Beijing has been actively positioning itself as a mediator in Middle Eastern conflicts. In 2023, China brokered a deal that re-established diplomatic ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Earlier this year, China, alongside Pakistan, participated in efforts to propose a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
China's focus in addressing the war in Gaza has been on fostering Palestinian unity. In 2024, Beijing facilitated an agreement between rival Palestinian factions to form an interim "national reconciliation government" for the occupied West Bank and Gaza, although this initiative was never implemented.
Wang stated that the "immediate priority" is to ensure full access to Gaza and to halt the ongoing "humanitarian catastrophe." He added that China is prepared to collaborate with the international community to encourage parties to resume dialogue and "seek a political solution to the conflict."
Herzog shared on X, formerly Twitter, that he was "pleased" to meet Wang and that their discussion centered on bilateral relations and the situation in the Middle East. He emphasized Israel's aspiration for regional peace and highlighted strategic security threats, particularly from Iran and its proxies.
China maintains significant ties with Iran, including being its largest purchaser of oil, a commodity previously subject to U.S. sanctions due to Tehran's nuclear program.
Despite a ceasefire one year ago, residents in Gaza continue to face threats from Israeli strikes, displacement, and food insecurity. While large-scale bombardments have ceased, Israel has conducted strikes in Gaza almost daily. More than 1,400 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza since the ceasefire began in October 2025. The U.S.-brokered ceasefire was intended as the first phase of a deal to end the war in Gaza, which was initiated by a Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. However, progress on subsequent phases has stalled, with both Israel and Hamas accusing each other of violating the terms of their agreement.