File photo of Chen Xu

China has expressed grave concerns over the large number of causalities, including women and children in the recent Israel-Palestine conflict and condemns all acts of violence against civilians, a Chinese representative said on a special session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) on Thursday, noting that China will offer $1 million in emergency humanitarian assistance cash to Palestine and another $1 million 200,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to UN organization to help refugees in the Near East.

On the HRC's special session on the grave human rights situation in the occupied Palestine Territory including East Jerusalem, Ambassador Chen Xu, China's Permanent Representative to the UN Office at Geneva and other International Organizations in Switzerland, called on Israel to observe the relevant UN resolutions, stop its demolition of Palestinian homes and eviction of the Palestinian people, discontinue its settlement expansion, as well as maintain and respect the historical status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem.

"We urge Israel to promptly lift blockades on Gaza so as to substantively ensure the legitimate rights and interests of the Palestinian people," Chen said.

Chen also introduced China's support to the Palestinian people recently and said that China welcomes the ceasefire between parties in the Israel-Palestine conflict and hopes relevant parties will effectively maintain the ceasefire and stop violence.

Given the grave situation of the Israel-Palestine conflict, China has also made great efforts to promote peace talks.

Ambassador Chen said during the special session that China will provide one million US dollars worth of emergency humanitarian assistance in cash to Palestine, and will donate one million US dollars and 200,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

"We will continue to provide tangible assistance to the Palestinian people… China firmly supports Palestinian people's just demands and all efforts conducive to the realization of the two-state solution. To prevent the tragic recurrence of the Palestine-Israel conflict, the international community should promote the resumption of peace talks between Palestine and Israel in an effort to facilitate the settlement of the Palestinian question in a comprehensive, just and durable manner on the basis of the 'two-state solution,' China stands ready to keep working toward this goal," Chen said.

Global Times