ISTANBUL

China reiterated its call for a two-state solution towards an independent state of Palestine to move past the Nakba – or catastrophe – of Palestinians “forever.”

Mentioning how in the Nakba 77 years ago, Palestinians were expelled from their homes, Chinese Ambassador to the UN Geng Shuang on Thursday told a UN event commemorating the Nakba: “Today… the historical injustice suffered by the Palestinian people has not only remained unaddressed, but has even worsened.”

People around the world marked May 15 as the 77th anniversary of the expulsion of Palestinians from their towns in historical Palestine after the creation of Israel in 1948.

“Israel's escalating siege on Gaza has led to an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe for two million people who face the threat of forced relocation. The continued expansion of settlements in the West Bank and the intensifying settler violence have relentlessly squeezed the space for the Palestinian people and eroded the basis of the two-State solution,” said Geng, according to a statement by China’s mission at the UN.

Israel has kept Gaza crossings closed to food, medical, and humanitarian aid since March 2, deepening an already dire humanitarian crisis in the enclave.

Nearly 53,000 Palestinians, primarily women and children, have been killed in Gaza during Israel's military offensive since October 2023.

Geng called on Israel to implement various UN resolutions, comply with the International Court of Justice's provisional measures and advisory opinion, as well immediately cease all military attacks.

Without giving names, Geng said: “A major power with significant influence over the party concerned (Israel) should uphold an impartial and objective position, and take tangible actions to calm the fighting in Gaza and ease tensions in West Bank.”

Reiterating support for an early establishment of fully sovereign and independent state of Palestine based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, he said: “China will continue to work tirelessly with all peace-loving countries to promote the implementation of the two-State solution and to realize a comprehensive, just, and lasting solution to the question of Palestine at an early date, so that the Nakba day will forever remain in the past.”