China calls on Israel to create conditions for peace talks with Palestine

UNITED NATIONS - A Chinese envoy on Tuesday called on Israel to create necessary conditions for the resumption of peace talks with Palestine.

At an open debate of the Security Council on the situation of the Middle East, Liu Jieyi, China's permanent representative to the UN, urged Israel to put an end to the construction of settlements on occupied territories, lift the blockade on Gaza, and release Palestinian prisoners as soon as possible.

Liu said despite the ceasefire of Gaza, things on the ground remain fragile and humanitarian situation is worrying. To change it, the envoy said, it requires Palestine and Israel to work together with the rest of the international community.

"The recurrent conflicts between Palestine and Israel in Gaza shows once again that deadlock in talk is bound to aggravate tensions and drag both parties down into a cycle of violence," he said.

The Israelis and the Palestinians resumed peace talks in July 2013 after a three-year hiatus. The talks were deadlocked in March this year and collapsed in April, with both sides accusing the other of failing to keep its commitments. Israel wanted the Hamas- controlled Gaza Strip demilitarized while Hamas demanded a lift to the blockade on the enclave.

"We hope that Palestine and Israel will adhere to the strategic choice - peace talks, seize the opportunity of ceasefire to resume and push forward substantial negotiation so as to achieve an early settlement of the question of Palestine that will eventually create an independent state of Palestine that enjoys full sovereignty on the basis of the 1967 border with eastern Jerusalem as its capital," Liu said.

There is a pressing need for reconstruction in Gaza, Liu said, adding China hopes that Israel will cooperate actively with the international community's relief efforts to enable the relief to reach the people of Palestine quickly and smoothly.

China, a firm supporter and sincere mediator for peace between Palestine and Israel, has been pushing for peace and negotiation between Palestine and Israel, including the five-point proposal for peace shortly after the recent outbreak of conflict, adding that China has provided twice emergency humanitarian assistance in cash to the people in Gaza.