China's UN envoy calls for restraint by Israel

China's ambassador to the United Nations on Thursday called for restraint by Israel amid heightened tensions with Palestinians.

"China urges all parties, Israel in particular, to exercise maximum restraint and refrain from any provocations, violence targeting civilians, or any acts that might intensify frictions," Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, said at a Security Council briefing on the Middle East situation, including the Palestinian question.

"Israel must seriously uphold and respect the historic status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem, and sincerely respect and protect the religious rights of Muslims," he said.

On May 22, the Security Council issued a press statement welcoming the announcement of a cease-fire in Gaza. However, less than a month later, the Israeli government approved the flag march in the holy city, a move that escalated tensions. And it once again conducted airstrikes against Gaza.

Those acts "have cast a shadow over the already fragile cease-fire", said Zhang.

Zhang pointed out that Israel's "illegal" settlement activities in the occupied territories constitute an obstacle to peace between Palestine and Israel and to the prospect of the two-state solution.

Despite international objections, Israel has advanced its settlement plans, approving more than 540 additional housing units and ordering the demolition of structures housing some 50 Palestinian families.

"The settlement activities are in severe contravention to international law and are serious violations of the right to self-determination and sovereignty of the Palestinian people. As such, they constitute one of the triggers of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in May," Zhang said.

"We urge Israel to observe Security Council Resolution 2334, immediately cease its settlement activities in the occupied territories, stop its demolition of Palestinian houses and its eviction of the Palestinian people, and effectively halt the deteriorating violence relating to settlers," he said.

Zhang said that conflicts in May caused huge civilian casualties, including 66 children in Gaza, and heavily damaged the infrastructure in Gaza, worsening the humanitarian crisis.

"China has provided Palestine with $1 million as emergency humanitarian assistance. We welcome the efforts by the UN, the World Bank, Egypt and other countries in the region towards rebuilding Gaza. We urge Israel to open the relevant crossings in Gaza, fully lift its blockade against Gaza as soon as possible, and facilitate access of humanitarian assistance and reconstruction supplies, rather than creating obstacles and setting preconditions," said Zhang.

He noted that the protracted turmoil in the Palestinian-Israeli situation in recent years is largely caused by the fact that the Middle East peace process has been derailed from its right track, that the UN resolutions have not been implemented, and that Palestine's right to independent statehood has been violated repeatedly.

"The international community must take an objective and impartial stand and make vigorous efforts to relaunch the peace process. The Security Council must implement its mandate of maintaining international peace by promoting efforts to alleviate the situation, rebuild trust and seek a political settlement.

"Countries that have significant influence in the region must take an objective and impartial stand, refrain from favoring one side over the other and practicing a double standard," said Zhang.