China tells Israel to stop "forced establishment" of West Bank settlements

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi talked with Israeli President Isaac Herzog on the sidelines of a conference.

His office announced that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Israel to stop its forced settlement construction in the West Bank and reverse its actions.

In a face-to-face meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog on the sidelines of a conference in Azerbaijan on Thursday, Wang said the "Palestinian issue" is "the greatest historical injustice of this century."

Beijing has long been a supporter of the Palestinian cause and believes that the "two-state solution" is the "right direction".

This country has also presented itself as a mediator for conflicts in the Middle East.

In 2023, Beijing signed an agreement to restore diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia after years of hostility. Earlier this year, it was part of efforts, along with Pakistan, to propose a ceasefire in the US-Israel war against Iran.

Beijing's efforts to deal with the Gaza war are focused on Palestinian unity.

In 2024, Beijing agreed with rival Palestinian groups to form an interim "government of national reconciliation" for the occupied West Bank and Gaza after the war with Israel, although it was never implemented.

Now, Wang says, the "immediate priority" is to fully open access to Gaza and prevent the further spread of a "humanitarian disaster."

China is willing to cooperate with the international community so that the parties return to dialogue and "seek a political solution to the dispute," Wang said.

In a post on X, Herzog said he was "pleased" to meet Wang and discuss "the relationship between our countries and the situation in the Middle East."

He wrote: "I emphasized Israel's desire for peace in the region, along with the strategic threats to our security, primarily from Iran and its terrorist groups."

China has close relations with Iran and is the biggest buyer of Iranian oil, which was previously under US sanctions due to Tehran's nuclear program.

A year after the ceasefire, the people of Gaza continue to live under the threat of Israeli attacks, displacement and food security challenges.

Although the massive bombing has stopped, Israel continues its attacks in Gaza almost every day. Since the ceasefire began in October 2025, more than 1,400 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks there.

The US-brokered ceasefire was the first step in an agreement to end the war in Gaza, which began with a deadly attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023.

But progress on the next phase of the agreement has stalled, with Israel and Hamas accusing each other of violating the terms of their agreement.