BEIJING, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday attended the BRICS extraordinary virtual summit on the Palestinian-Israeli issue, saying that the parties to the conflict must end hostility and reach a ceasefire immediately.
BRICS leaders stressed the need to protect civilians in accordance with international humanitarian law, calling for an immediate durable, sustainable humanitarian truce and humanitarian aid delivery.
Experts around the world lauded China's peace-oriented diplomatic efforts and increased coordination among BRICS countries, believing they will contribute to peace and stability in the Middle East.
JUSTICE AND RESPONSIBILITY
"The conflict in Gaza is raging on into its second month. China is gravely concerned that the conflict is causing enormous civilian casualties and a humanitarian disaster, and tends to expand and spill over," Xi said in his speech.
Elena Suponina, an expert at the Russian International Affairs Council, said China's call "for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, an end to the bloodshed" provides critical momentum to the resolution of the conflict.
"China has always maintained a fair stance on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. China has made it very clear that this conflict will ultimately not benefit anyone," Suponina added.
"President Xi's speech at the BRICS Summit reflected China's position as a responsible major country. It sent an important signal to the world at a time when the situation between Palestine and Israel is highly tense," said Ismat Mansour, a Palestinian political analyst.
Mansour recalled the recent visit to China by a delegation of Arab and Islamic foreign ministers, during which the two sides thoroughly exchanged views on how to de-escalate and protect civilians, reflecting "their high trust in China."
President Xi's speech made it clear to all parties that China will play a greater role in resolving the current Hamas-Israel conflict "and further promote peace in the Middle East," Mansour said.
BRICS COOPERATION
Xi said that given the current circumstances, it is very timely and very important for BRICS countries to meet and speak up for justice and for peace on the Palestinian-Israeli issue.
Hailing the BRICS cooperation mechanism as an important platform for emerging markets and developing countries to strengthen solidarity and cooperation and safeguard common interests, Xi said the meeting to coordinate positions and actions on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict marks a good start for greater BRICS cooperation following its enlargement.
Mokhtar Ghobashy, deputy chairman of the Cairo-based Arab Center for Political and Strategic Studies, said that China's call for a ceasefire, more humanitarian aid to Gaza, and implementation of the two-state solution is an "honorable, serious, and fair position."
Ghobashy said consensus within BRICS on the Hamas-Israel conflict will have an important impact on its resolution and the peace process in the Middle East.
Sebastian Schulz, a researcher at the China Research Center of the National University of La Plata in Argentina, said that the BRICS cooperation mechanism provides a perspective of emerging and developing countries on how to seek solutions to most conflicts and issues affecting the international order.
The BRICS nations have consistently emphasized the importance of dialogue in resolving disputes, Schulz said. As the first leadership meeting after the expansion of BRICS, the summit was significant in coordinating positions and taking action on the Israel-Palestine issue.
Suponina expressed hope that the expanded BRICS would be able to work on establishing more effective mechanisms that would have international influence, and ultimately be able to help stop such wars and conflicts.
DURABLE PEACE
Xi said the root cause of the Palestinian-Israeli situation is the fact that the right of the Palestinian people to statehood, their right to existence, and their right of return have long been ignored.
He emphasized that the only viable way to break the cycle of Palestinian-Israeli conflict lies in the two-state solution, in the restoration of the legitimate national rights of Palestine, and in the establishment of an independent State of Palestine.
Samer Khair Ahmed, a Jordanian writer and expert on Arab-China relations, said that Xi's speech reiterated China's objective position on the conflict in the Middle East, which is based on its historical position supporting the rights of the Palestinian people.
"What China proposes currently is a solution that falls in line with the objective politics and feasible solutions, based on the two-state solution and the right of the Palestinians to establish their state and live in peace," Ahmed said.
"This highlights the ethical value that China adds to international politics, as a major country with responsibility, taking rational and objective positions on regional conflicts and various issues that affect the future of humanity and world peace," Ahmed added.
Over the years, China has played a constructive role in facilitating peace and stability in the Middle East.
In March, after years of open hostility, Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to restore diplomatic ties following talks mediated by China.
Marcos Pires, director of the Institute of Economics and International Studies at Brazil's Sao Paulo State University, said that in the process of promoting peace talks and ceasefires, the Global Security Initiative proposed by President Xi must be highly valued and fully implemented.
"The concept of common security and the principle of indivisibility of security clarify that mankind is an indivisible security community, and the security of one country should not be at the expense of the security of other countries," said Pires. "This is of great significance for resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and restoring peace in the Middle East." ■
