Chinese envoy urges Israel to immediately end unlawful presence in occupied Palestinian territory

UNITED NATIONS -- Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, on Tuesday urged Israel to heed the strong call of the international community by immediately ending its unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territory.

In remarks at the UN General Assembly emergency special session on the Palestinian question, Fu said decades of occupation and oppression have inflicted untold sufferings on the Palestinian people, and made the long-cherished dream of independent statehood ever more elusive.

"Ending the occupation is not an option, but a legal obligation for Israel," he stressed.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ), in its advisory opinion issued on July 19, unequivocally concluded that Israel's continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is a violation of international law, and that Israel is under an obligation to immediately bring to an end its unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territories, the ambassador said, adding that the ICJ's advisory opinion affirms the long-standing consensus of the international community and pinpoints the crux of the Palestinian question.

"We urge Israel to heed the strong call of the international community by immediately ending its unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territory," he said.

Fu noted that ending the occupation is to redress historical injustice and, more importantly, lay the foundation for peace.

Underscoring that independent statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people as a nation, the ambassador said the prolonged illegal occupation has hindered the realization of self-determination of the Palestinian people and given Israel an exclusive veto over Palestine. "This is unacceptable."

Only a complete end to the occupation and the establishment of the Independent State of Palestine will truly make it possible for Palestine and Israel to live side by side in peace, for the two peoples to live together in peace and tranquility, and for lasting peace to be achieved in the Middle East, he said.

Fu emphasized that the implementation of the two-State solution is the only viable way to resolve the question of Palestine, and is the broad consensus of the international community.

He called on the international community to make greater efforts and demand that Israel implement the relevant resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly, cease its military operations in Gaza, and stop its illegal settlement activities in the West Bank.

"China advocates the convening of a more broad-based and effective international peace conference to revitalize the political prospects of the two-State solution and to work out a timetable and a roadmap for its implementation," he said.

"Today is a historic moment," Fu said, noting that the State of Palestine has taken a seat among UN member states and introduced a draft resolution to the General Assembly that focuses on the implementation of the advisory opinion of the ICJ.

He said China will vote in favor of the draft resolution, and hopes the resolution will give new impetus to ending the occupation, implementing the two-State solution, and advancing the Middle East peace process.