China’s Wang Yi urges Israel to end West Bank settlement expansion and ease Gaza crisis

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog to urge an end to Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank and a reduction in the Gaza crisis. Wang emphasized the need to fully open Gaza's access routes, stating that two million civilians should not remain on the brink of survival. The meeting, held in Baku, Azerbaijan, marked Beijing's highest-level engagement with Israel since October 2023, following the latest Israel-Gaza conflict.

Since October 2023, more than 70,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 100,000 injured, with Gaza's two million residents still displaced and dealing with the highest proportion of child amputees globally. Despite a ceasefire in October, Israeli aid restrictions and attacks persist. Wang called for a halt to Israeli settlement expansion, referring to the illegal settlements built since 1967.

He reiterated that a two-state solution is the only viable path forward, based on pre-1967 borders. Sino-Israeli relations have been tense since the war, with Beijing advocating for a two-state solution while Israel expresses disappointment that China did not explicitly condemn Hamas. Herzog acknowledged the strategic threats Israel faces, particularly from Iran and its proxies.

Wang praised Israel as a constructive force in global and regional peace during the meeting, as reported by the Chinese government. Wang also held talks with Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, pledging China's continued support for the Palestinian cause and calling for international backing for a two-state solution.