In brief
China’s foreign minister Wang Yi met Israeli President Isaac Herzog and warned that Israel must halt the forced establishment of settlements in the West Bank. He called for a return to talks and called the Palestinian question the greatest injustice of this century. Beijing has positioned itself as a mediator, having brokered talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia, and has pushed for Palestinian unity in Gaza. Despite a ceasefire that ended major bombardment, daily strikes continue and casualties mount, stalling progress toward a lasting resolution.
China foreign minister Wang Yi has told Israel to stop the forced establishment of settlements in the West Bank and to reverse recent actions.
In a face‑to‑face meeting on the sidelines of a conference in Azerbaijan, Wang spoke to Israeli President Isaac Herzog about what Beijing calls the “greatest historical injustice of this century.” He emphasized that a two‑state solution is the correct direction for the Palestinian question.
China has long backed the Palestinian cause and has sought to act as a mediator in Middle East conflicts. In 2023 the country brokered a deal that restored diplomatic ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia, and earlier this year it joined a ceasefire proposal for the US‑Israel war against Iran. Beijing has also pushed for Palestinian unity, arranging talks to form an interim national reconciliation government for the West Bank and Gaza in 2024, though the effort has not yet taken effect.
Wang underscored that the immediate priority is to open full access to Gaza and to halt the humanitarian catastrophe that is unfolding. He said China is ready to work with the international community to bring all parties back to dialogue and a political solution.
The ongoing situation remains tense: one year after the ceasefire that ended the large‑scale Gaza bombardment, Israeli strikes continue almost daily, bringing the Palestinian death toll in Gaza to more than 1,400 in the year since the ceasefire started in October 2025. While the ceasefire appears to have ended major fighting, both Israel and Hamas accuse each other of violating the terms of the deal, stalling progress into the next phase of the agreement.
