“The Palestinian people fight against Israeli oppression, and their struggle for completing the establishment of an independent State on the occupied territories are, essentially, just actions for restoring their legitimate rights. The right to self-determination serves as the precise legal foundation for their struggle.”
Ma said struggles for self-determination “should not be considered terror acts,” but that during armed struggle “all parties are obliged to comply with international humanitarian law and, in particular, to refrain from committing acts of terrorism in violation of international humanitarian law”.
Hamas on Friday responded to China’s statement in a Telegram channel, saying, “We also appreciate the position expressed by the People’s Republic of China, and its emphasis on the legality of the occupied peoples’ pursuit of self-determination, by various means, including armed resistance, and the necessity not to confuse terrorism with the armed struggle practised by the Palestinian people against the Zionist occupation”, according to The Jerusalem Post.
Biden hopes for Gaza ceasefire in days as Israelis, Hamas take part in talks
Biden hopes for Gaza ceasefire in days as Israelis, Hamas take part in talks
On Monday, Israel’s foreign ministry spokesman Lior Haiat condemned China’s statement, saying it “could be interpreted as support for the murderous terrorist attack committed by Hamas on October 7”.
“The laws of war do not permit the systematic and deliberate attack of civilians or the use of civilians as human shields, two war crimes that Hamas commits in the name of ‘armed struggle’,” Haiat said.
“China should ask itself why the Hamas terrorist organisation was so quick to praise the words of the Chinese legal adviser at the ICJ.”
Hamas’ October 7 attack killed about 1,200 Israelis, many of them civilians, while Israel’s retaliatory war in Gaza has killed more than 29,000 people, including more than 12,000 children.
Since the beginning of Israel’s current war against Hamas in Gaza, China has called on “all parties” to end the fighting and advocated for negotiations towards a two-state solution to resume. China has not specifically named Hamas in its statements or labelled its actions terrorism, in contrast to many Western countries.
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Xi Jinping calls for Gaza ceasefire, says two-state solution only option for lasting regional peace
Xi Jinping calls for Gaza ceasefire, says two-state solution only option for lasting regional peace
Although China has repeatedly expressed a desire to play a direct role in realising peace in Israel and Palestine, it has been passive on issues such as the Houthi strikes on ships in the Red Sea as it attempts to grow its influence in the Middle East.
Hongda Fan, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute at Shanghai International Studies University, said China’s recent International Court of Justice statements did not represent a change in its stance on the conflict, but did reveal an escalation in its support and concern for Palestinians to the dissatisfaction of Israelis.
Palestinian Territories’ prime minister Shtayyeh quits
Palestinian Territories’ prime minister Shtayyeh quits
“Since the establishment of formal diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992, China has always emphasised the peaceful resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict through political means, and indeed rarely emphasised the Palestinian people’s right to use force to resist Israel,” Fan said.
“Although China’s statement complies with international law, it does further highlight China’s position on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict to a certain extent.”