President,

The Palestinian-Israeli conflict is now in its seventh decade. Generations of Palestinian people have lost their homes and lived in displacement. This is an open wound on the conscience of humanity. The establishment of an independent state is the long aspiration of the Palestinian people. Full membership in the United Nations is a crucial step in this historical process. With its veto, the United States has mercilessly shattered the decades-long dream of the Palestinian people. For China, this is deeply disappointing.

Palestine formally submitted its application as early as in 2011. However, due to the opposition of some countries, the Council’s action was put on hold at that time. During the past 13 years, the political prospects of the two-State solution have continued to be eroded and damaged, while the suffering of the Palestinian people worsened. Under such circumstances, accepting Palestine as a full member of the United Nations, so as to ensure Palestine can enjoy equal status with Israel and provide international guarantee for the implementation of the two-State solution, is an urgent responsibility that the international community must not shy away from.

President,

On the Palestinian-Israeli issue, the United States has used its veto dozens of times. Since the outbreak of the current conflict in Gaza, the United States has used its veto five times, four of which to block the ceasefire in Gaza, and this time to single-handedly block Palestine’s formal admission to the United Nations. With intransigence based on its own interests and geopolitical calculations, the United States has repeatedly resorted to veto in an abusive manner, which is not commensurate with the role of a responsible power. We hope that the United States will truly uphold an objective and impartial position and join the international community’s action for justice, so as to play a due constructive role in stopping the war and alleviating the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.

President,

The war in Gaza is still ongoing, creating an unprecedented humanitarian disaster. We urge Israel to immediately cease all military operations, abandon its offensive plan on Rafah, immediately open all land crossings, guarantee rapid, safe, and large-scale humanitarian access, and provide necessary facilitation for the transportation and distribution of relief supplies by the UN humanitarian agencies.

The implementation of the two-State solution is the fundamental way out of the Middle East issue. China calls for greater international diplomatic efforts to revitalize the political prospects of the two-State solution. China supports the early reconsideration by the Security Council of Palestine’s application for full membership in the UN, and hopes that individual countries will cease setting up obstacles to that end.

China will continue to work with all parties to achieve the goal of a comprehensive, just, and lasting solution to the question of Palestine, the peaceful coexistence between Palestine and Israel, and lasting peace in the Middle East.

Thank you, President.