RAMALLAH, Palestine

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki praised China's plea before the International Court of Justice in February, which deemed Israel as a “foreign oppression occupying Palestine.” 

This came during al-Maliki's meeting with China's Foreign Ministry envoy Wang Kejian at the ministry's headquarters in Ramallah, according to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa.

The agency reported that al-Maliki praised “China’s continued endeavor in all international forums to support the establishment of the Palestinian state and the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, especially the oral argument that China recently presented in the International Court of Justice.”

During the meeting, the Palestinian minister in the caretaker government emphasized the importance of statements issued by the Chinese side, praised China's provision of assistance and support to the Palestinian people, and the financial support to the United Nations Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

He also highlighted the importance of a sustainable cease-fire, especially during the holy month of Ramadan, providing international protection for Palestinian civilians, and delivering humanitarian aid securely.

The agency quoted the Chinese envoy reaffirming his country's permanent and consistent stance in supporting justice, peace, and international law, supporting the principle of a two-state solution, the immediate cessation of hostilities, ensuring the safety of civilians, facilitating the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, and rejecting forced displacement.

Addressing the International Court of Justice, China on Feb. 22 said the Palestinians’ use of armed struggle to gain independence from foreign and colonial rule was “legitimate” and “well founded” in international law.

“In pursuit of the right to self-determination, Palestinian people’s use of force to resist foreign oppression and complete the establishment of an independent state is (an) inalienable right well founded in international law,” the Chinese representative told the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Citing resolutions by the UN General Assembly, Beijing’s envoy to the world court said people struggling for self-determination could use “all available means, including armed struggle.”

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border attack led by the Palestinian group Hamas in which nearly 1,200 people were killed.

At least 31,272 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, and over 73,024 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Palestinian enclave, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, at least 27 people have died of malnutrition and dehydration in Gaza as a result of the Israeli blockade.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala