The Israeli Embassy in Beijing on Sunday urged China to stand in solidarity with Israel in the wake of a large-scale deadly attack by the terrorist group Hamas during the weekend.
Israel declared a state of war after Hamas launched a wave of attacks against its civilians and properties, prompting Israeli forces to launch retaliatory strikes on Gaza, the stronghold of Hamas. The death toll on both sides has passed 1,100, while thousands were injured.
Countries all around the world—such as the United States, the nations of Europe, the United Kingdom, and India—have expressed their solidarity with Israel and strongly condemned Hamas’s assaults on Israel as terrorist attacks.
“We are grateful to all countries around the world that stand with Israel, and we have the right to take action against Hamas for murdering and kidnapping innocent Israeli people,” the Israeli Embassy stated on X (formerly known as Twitter).
“We also hope that China can provide solidarity and support to Israel at this difficult moment,” it added.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Oct. 8 expressing its “deep concern” about the escalating tensions between Israel and the Palestinians, but stopped short of condemning the attack.
Instead, the ministry urged all parties involved to remain calm and for an immediate ceasefire, while calling for a “two-state solution”—the notion of having two separate independent states—to end the conflict.
“The fundamental way out to quell the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is to implement the ’two-state solution' and establish an independent Palestinian state,” it added.
Yuval Waks, a senior official at the Israeli embassy in Beijing, expressed disappointment over the statement as he noted that Israel expected a “stronger condemnation” from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Mr. Waks emphasized that China’s calls for a two-state solution were inappropriate, given the scale of the attack and the significant casualties it had caused.
“When people are being murdered, slaughtered in the streets, this is not the time to call for a two-state solution,” he told reporters.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Monday that he was disappointed with the statement from the CCP, which he said had shown “no sympathy” for Israel despite the “horrific” attacks.
China–Palestinian Ties
China has traditionally backed the Palestinian cause, but has also boosted ties with Israel as it seeks a larger role in trade, technology, and diplomacy. In recent years, it has stepped up its involvement in the Middle East, assisting in the restoration of ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran and welcoming Syrian President Bashar Assad on a visit to China.
During a June meeting with Mahmoud Abbas, head of the Palestinian Authority, Mr. Xi said that China is willing to assist the Palestinians in achieving internal reconciliation and promoting peace talks with Israel.
Mr. Xi said the CCP supports the cause of the Palestinian people to restore their national rights, and laid out a general three-point proposal to resolve the conflict with Israel, in which China hopes to play the role of a mediator.
In response, Mr. Abbas told the CCP leader that the Palestinian Authority supports the Chinese regime’s “national reunification” efforts—bringing Taiwan and Hong Kong under the CCP’s control.
According to Chinese state media, he also said the Palestinian Authority condemns external interference in China’s internal affairs on issues such as the situation in Hong Kong and in the region of Xinjiang. Uyghur Muslims say there’s an ongoing genocide against them in the Xinjiang region by the CCP.
In April, then-Foreign Minister Qin Gang spoke with the Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki. During the talks, he said the Chinese regime is ready to assist in peace talks, based on a two-state solution.
