palestinian president to visit china next week

Palestinian President Abbas to visit China after mediation offer

Abbas will pay a state visit to China following’s XI’s pledge to ‘work for an early, just and durable solution to the Palestinian issue’.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will make a state visit to China next week after Beijing expressed readiness to help facilitate Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

“At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, president of the state of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas will pay a state visit to China from June 13 to 16,” China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Friday.

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Another ministry official, Wang Wenbin, told a regular briefing later in the day that Abbas was an “old and good friend of the Chinese people”.

“He is the first Arab head of state received by China this year, fully embodying the high level of China-Palestine good relations, which have traditionally been friendly,” he said, adding that “China has always firmly supported the just cause of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights.”

In December last year, President Xi visited Saudi Arabia on an Arab outreach visit that also saw him meet Abbas and pledge to “work for an early, just and durable solution to the Palestinian issue”.

In April, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang told his Israeli and Palestinian counterparts that his country was willing to aid peace negotiations, Xinhua reported.

The report added that Qin told Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki that Beijing supports the resumption of talks as soon as possible and pushes for implementing a “two-state solution”.

China’s role in the Middle East

Beijing has positioned itself as a mediator in the Middle East, a region where the United States has, for decades, been the main powerbroker.

In March, it brokered the restoration of ties between longtime Gulf rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia, which some analysts saw as a broader sign of a “changing global order” .

Its efforts have drawn rebukes from Washington.

During a trip to Saudi Arabia this week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Riyadh was not being forced to choose between Washington and Beijing, striking a conciliatory tone following tensions with the longtime ally.

Blinken has also this week sought to mediate Israeli-Palestinian tension, urging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to undermine prospects for a Palestinian state.

Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations have been stalled since 2014.

• Politics & Security
• Economy & Business

Palestinian president to visit China next week

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas will make a state visit to China next week, Beijing said Friday, after China expressed readiness to help facilitate Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

Beijing has positioned itself as a mediator in the Middle East, brokering the restoration of ties in March between Iran and Saudi Arabia -- rivals in a region where the United States has for decades been the main powerbroker.

"At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, president of the state of Palestine Mahmud Abbas will pay a state visit to China from June 13 to 16," foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said Friday.

"He is the first Arab head of state received by China this year, fully embodying the high level of China-Palestine good relations, which have traditionally been friendly," ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a regular briefing later.

Abbas is an "old and good friend of the Chinese people", he added.

"China has always firmly supported the just cause of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights."

Beijing has sought to boost its ties to the Middle East, challenging long-standing US influence there -- efforts that have drawn rebukes from Washington.

Xi last December visited Saudi Arabia on an Arab outreach visit that also saw him meet with Abbas and pledge to "work for an early, just and durable solution to the Palestinian issue".

And during a trip to Riyadh this week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Saudi Arabia was not being forced to choose between Washington and Beijing, striking a conciliatory tone following tensions with the long-time ally.

Blinken has also this week sought to mediate Israel-Palestinian tension, urging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to undermine prospects for a Palestinian state.

Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations have been stalled since 2014.

In April, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang told his Israeli and Palestinian counterparts that his country was willing to aid peace negotiations, Xinhua reported.

And Qin told Palestinian foreign minister Riyad Al-Maliki that Beijing supports the resumption of talks as soon as possible, according to the state news agency.

In both calls Qin emphasised China's push for peace talks on the basis of implementing a "two-state solution".

"The Palestinian issue is the core of the Middle East issue. It bears on peace and stability in the Middle East and on international fairness and justice."

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Palestinian president to visit China from June 13

Beijing has expressed readiness to help facilitate Israeli-Palestinian peace talks

BEIJING: Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas will make a state visit to China next week, Beijing said on Friday, after China expressed readiness to help facilitate Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

Beijing has positioned itself as a mediator in the Middle East, brokering the restoration of ties in March between Iran and Saudi Arabia - rivals in a region where the United States has for decades been the main powerbroker.

“At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, president of the state of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas will pay a state visit to China from June 13 to 16,” foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Friday.

“He is the first Arab head of state received by China this year, fully embodying the high level of China-Palestine good relations, which have traditionally been friendly,” ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a regular briefing later.

Abbas is an “old and good friend of the Chinese people”, he added.

“China has always firmly supported the just cause of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights.”

Beijing has sought to boost its ties to the Middle East, challenging long-standing US influence there - efforts that have drawn rebukes from Washington.

Xi last December visited Saudi Arabia on an Arab outreach visit that also saw him meet with Abbas and pledge to “work for an early, just and durable solution to the Palestinian issue”.

Blinken's comments

And during a trip to Riyadh this week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Saudi Arabia was not being forced to choose between Washington and Beijing, striking a conciliatory tone following tensions with the long-time ally.

Blinken has also this week sought to mediate Israel-Palestinian tension, urging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to undermine prospects for a Palestinian state.

Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations have been stalled since 2014.

In April, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang told his Israeli and Palestinian counterparts that his country was willing to aid peace negotiations, Xinhua reported.

And Qin told Palestinian foreign minister Riyad Al-Maliki that Beijing supports the resumption of talks as soon as possible, according to the state news agency.

In both calls Qin emphasised China’s push for peace talks on the basis of implementing a “two-state solution”.

“The Palestinian issue is the core of the Middle East issue. It bears on peace and stability in the Middle East and on international fairness and justice.”

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Palestinian president to visit china next week.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas will make a state visit to China next week, Beijing said on Friday, after China expressed readiness to help facilitate Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

Beijing has positioned itself as a mediator in the Middle East, brokering the restoration of ties in March between Iran and Saudi Arabia - rivals in a region where the United States has for decades been the main powerbroker.

"At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, president of the state of Palestine Mahmud Abbas will pay a state visit to China from June 13 to 16," foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said Friday.

"He is the first Arab head of state received by China this year, fully embodying the high level of China-Palestine good relations, which have traditionally been friendly," ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a regular briefing later.

Abbas is an "old and good friend of the Chinese people", he added.

"China has always firmly supported the just cause of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights."

Beijing has sought to boost its ties to the Middle East, challenging long-standing US influence there - efforts that have drawn rebukes from Washington.

Xi last December visited Saudi Arabia on an Arab outreach visit that also saw him meet with Abbas and pledge to "work for an early, just and durable solution to the Palestinian issue".

And during a trip to Riyadh this week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Saudi Arabia was not being forced to choose between Washington and Beijing, striking a conciliatory tone following tensions with the long-time ally.

Blinken has also this week sought to mediate Israel-Palestinian tension, urging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to undermine prospects for a Palestinian state.

Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations have been stalled since 2014.

In April, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang told his Israeli and Palestinian counterparts that his country was willing to aid peace negotiations, Xinhua reported.

And Qin told Palestinian foreign minister Riyad Al-Maliki that Beijing supports the resumption of talks as soon as possible, according to the state news agency.

In both calls Qin emphasised China's push for peace talks on the basis of implementing a "two-state solution".

"The Palestinian issue is the core of the Middle East issue. It bears on peace and stability in the Middle East and on international fairness and justice."

• Mahmud Abbas

More In News

Today's Paper | June 06, 2024

Palestinian president to visit china next week.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas will make a state visit to China next week, Beijing said on Friday, after China expressed readiness to help facilitate Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

Beijing has positioned itself as a mediator in the Middle East, brokering the restoration of ties in March between Iran and Saudi Arabia — rivals in a region where the United States has for decades been the main powerbroker.

“At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, president of the state of Palestine, Mahmud Abbas will pay a state visit to China from June 13 to 16,” foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Friday.

“He is the first Arab head of state received by China this year, fully embodying the high level of China-Palestine good relations, which have traditionally been friendly,” ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a regular briefing later.

Abbas is an “old and good friend of the Chinese people”, he added. “China has always firmly supported the just cause of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights.”

Beijing has sought to boost its ties to the Middle East, challenging long-standing US influence there — efforts that have drawn rebukes from Washington.

Xi last December visited Saudi Arabia on an Arab outreach visit that also saw him meet with Abbas and pledge to “work for an early, just and durable solution to the Palestinian issue”.

And during a trip to Riyadh this week , US State Secretary Antony Blinken said Saudi Arabia was not being forced to choose between Washington and Beijing, striking a conciliatory tone following tensions with the long-time ally.

Blinken has also this week sought to mediate Israel-Palestinian tension, urging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to undermine prospects for a Palestinian state.

Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations have been stalled since 2014.

In April, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang told his Israeli and Palestinian counterparts that his country was willing to aid peace negotiations , Xinhua reported.

And Qin told Palestinian foreign minister Riyad Al-Maliki that Beijing supports the resumption of talks as soon as possible, according to the state news agency.

In both calls, Qin emphasised China’s push for peace talks on the basis of implementing a “two-state solution”.

“The Palestinian issue is the core of the Middle East issue. It bears on peace and stability in the Middle East and on international fairness and justice. “

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Palestinian president to visit China next week

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas has been invited to China by leader Xi Jinping / © AFP/File

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas will make a state visit to China next week, Beijing said Friday, after China expressed readiness to help facilitate Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

Beijing has positioned itself as a mediator in the Middle East, brokering the restoration of ties in March between Iran and Saudi Arabia -- rivals in a region where the United States has for decades been the main powerbroker.

"At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, president of the state of Palestine Mahmud Abbas will pay a state visit to China from June 13 to 16," foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said Friday.

"He is the first Arab head of state received by China this year, fully embodying the high level of China-Palestine good relations, which have traditionally been friendly," ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a regular briefing later.

Abbas is an "old and good friend of the Chinese people", he added.

"China has always firmly supported the just cause of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights."

Beijing has sought to boost its ties to the Middle East, challenging long-standing US influence there -- efforts that have drawn rebukes from Washington.

Xi last December visited Saudi Arabia on an Arab outreach visit that also saw him meet with Abbas and pledge to "work for an early, just and durable solution to the Palestinian issue".

And during a trip to Riyadh this week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Saudi Arabia was not being forced to choose between Washington and Beijing, striking a conciliatory tone following tensions with the long-time ally.

Blinken has also this week sought to mediate Israel-Palestinian tension, urging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to undermine prospects for a Palestinian state.

Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations have been stalled since 2014.

In April, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang told his Israeli and Palestinian counterparts that his country was willing to aid peace negotiations, Xinhua reported.

And Qin told Palestinian foreign minister Riyad Al-Maliki that Beijing supports the resumption of talks as soon as possible, according to the state news agency.

In both calls Qin emphasised China's push for peace talks on the basis of implementing a "two-state solution".

"The Palestinian issue is the core of the Middle East issue. It bears on peace and stability in the Middle East and on international fairness and justice."

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China says Palestinian president to visit next week

Afp , friday 9 jun 2023.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will make a state visit to China next week, Beijing said Friday, after China said it was ready to help facilitate Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

"At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, President of the state of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas will pay a state visit to China from June 13 to 16," foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said.

China's Foreign Minister Qin Gang in April told his Israeli and Palestinian counterparts that his country was willing to aid peace negotiations.

The separate phone calls between Qin and the Israeli and Palestinian top diplomats came as Beijing positions itself as a regional mediator.

Qin encouraged "steps to resume peace talks" and said that "China is ready to provide convenience for this", in a phone call with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, Xinhua reported.

And Qin told Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki that Beijing supports the resumption of talks as soon as possible, according to the state news agency.

In both calls Qin emphasised China's push for peace talks on the basis of implementing a "two-state solution".

"President Abbas is an old and good friend of the Chinese people," foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a regular briefing later on Friday.

"He is the first Arab head of state received by China this year, fully embodying the high level of China-Palestine good relations, which have traditionally been friendly," he added.

"The Palestinian issue is the core of the Middle East issue. It bears on peace and stability in the Middle East and on international fairness and justice."

China has been on a recent diplomatic offensive, brokering the restoration of ties in March between Iran and Saudi Arabia -- rivals in a region where the United States for decades has been the main powerbroker.

Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations have been stalled since 2014.

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Palestinian president to visit china next week.

https://arab.news/67kk5

• China has expressed readiness to facilitate Israeli-Palestinian talks
• Beijing has recently positioned itself as a mediator in the Middle East

BEIJING: Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas will make a state visit to China next week, Beijing said Friday, after China expressed readiness to help facilitate Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

Beijing has positioned itself as a mediator in the Middle East, brokering the restoration of ties in March between Iran and Saudi Arabia in a region where the United States has for decades been the main powerbroker.

“At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, president of the state of Palestine Mahmud Abbas will pay a state visit to China from June 13 to 16,” foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said Friday.

“He is the first Arab head of state received by China this year, fully embodying the high level of China-Palestine good relations, which have traditionally been friendly,” ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a regular briefing later.

Abbas is an “old and good friend of the Chinese people,” he added.

“China has always firmly supported the just cause of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights.”

Beijing has sought to boost its ties to the Middle East, challenging long-standing US influence there — efforts that have drawn rebukes from Washington.

Xi last December visited Saudi Arabia on an Arab outreach visit that also saw him meet with Abbas and pledge to “work for an early, just and durable solution to the Palestinian issue.”

And during a trip to Riyadh this week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Saudi Arabia was not being forced to choose between Washington and Beijing, striking a conciliatory tone following tensions with the long-time ally.

Blinken has also this week sought to mediate Israel-Palestinian tension, urging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to undermine prospects for a Palestinian state.

Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations have been stalled since 2014.

In April, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang told his Israeli and Palestinian counterparts that his country was willing to aid peace negotiations, Xinhua reported.

And Qin told Palestinian foreign minister Riyad Al-Maliki that Beijing supports the resumption of talks as soon as possible, according to the state news agency.

In both calls Qin emphasised China’s push for peace talks on the basis of implementing a “two-state solution.”

“The Palestinian issue is the core of the Middle East issue. It bears on peace and stability in the Middle East and on international fairness and justice.”

Hide comments Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.

Armed syrian kurdish women stand guard over precious wheatfields.

• Volunteers were called amid fears of theft and fire destroying the wheatcrops
• In June 2019, flames swept through wheatfields in the region, killing at least 10 people

AL QAHTANIYAH, Syria: Holding a weapon in one hand and fixing her scarf with the other, Yasmine Youssef patrols one of northeast Syria’s vast wheatfields, a vital source of income in the country’s breadbasket.

The 42-year-old is among dozens of volunteers, some of them women, helping the semi-autonomous Kurdish-led region protect the fields near Qahtaniyah, from fires and arsonists. “Our mission is to serve farmers and protect their crops,” Youssef said, adding that the work lasts one or two months. “If fires break out we are notified directly and we call the fire trucks,” she told AFP. This year the farmers in northeast Syria are expecting an exceptional harvest after heavy rain followed years of drought. But residents also fear that yearly summer wildfires could destroy their precious crops. “Agricultural production rebounded in 2023 amid improved weather conditions” after near-historical lows the year before, according to a recent World Bank report. “Official statistics indicate a doubled wheat harvest for 2023, yielding two million metric tons,” it said. In June 2019, flames swept through wheatfields in the region, killing at least 10 people who were fighting the fires, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor. At first, “people didn’t trust our efforts. They were saying, ‘What are those women doing?’,” Youssef said. “Now everyone agrees on the need to unite to protect” the land, she said. “The people depend entirely on this harvest... If we lose it, our conditions will deteriorate.”

Nearby, farmers toiled in the scorching heat, plowing the golden fields as Kurdish police also patrolled the area. Every year, the administration and the Syrian government, which accuses the Kurds of separatism, compete to buy the wheat harvest from farmers. Residents and officials in the Kurdish-held region told AFP they believed the fires were often the result of arson. Daesh group extremists have previously burnt crops in areas under Kurdish control, after the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces — the Kurds’ de facto army in the area — dislodged the jihadists from the last scraps of Syrian territory they held in 2019. Volunteer Renkin Hassan, 50, urged people not to discard cigarettes that could start fires accidentally, but also blamed unspecified parties for “burning the land intentionally.” “We will not let them do that,” she said defiantly, patrolling beside other armed volunteers and wearing a military vest. “I don’t own a single acre of land, but I come here every day so farmers can harvest their crops” without having to worry about fires, she added. There have already been limited outbreaks of fire in several locations this year, local authorities said. The volunteers brave high summer temperatures and sometimes surprise attacks by IS jihadists, as well as Turkish strikes targeting the SDF. Sporting an assault rifle, flip-flops and a flowery dress, Atia Hassan, 50, said her goal was to prevent arsonists from “burning the land — and to protect ourselves.” “People are happy when they see us... and we are proud of our efforts despite all the difficulties,” she added.

Show comments Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.

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Israeli army claims deadly strike on ‘hamas compound’ inside un school in gaza.

• Hamas media office said at least 27 people were killed and dozens injured

JERUSALEM: The Israeli army said Thursday that it had carried out a deadly strike on a UN school in central Gaza that it said housed a “Hamas compound,” with the Hamas media office saying at least 27 people were killed. Israeli “fighter jets... conducted a precise strike on a Hamas compound embedded inside an UNRWA school in the area of Nuseirat,” the army said in a statement, adding that several terrorists were “eliminated.”

The Hamas-run Gaza government media office said dozens of people were also injured in the school that currently houses displaced persons in Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip. There was no immediate confirmation by the health ministry.

In apparent blow to Biden plan, Hamas leader demands full end to Gaza war

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• Gaza government says 27 people sheltering in school killed
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CAIRO/JERUSALEM: The leader of Hamas said on Wednesday the group would demand a permanent end to the war in Gaza and Israeli withdrawal as part of a ceasefire plan, dealing an apparent blow to a truce proposal touted last week by US President Joe Biden.

Israel, meanwhile, said there would be no halt to fighting during ceasefire talks, and launched a new assault on a central section of the Gaza Strip near the last city yet to be stormed by its tanks.

The remarks by Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh appeared to deliver the Palestinian militant group’s reply to the proposal that Biden unveiled last week. Washington had said it was waiting to hear an answer from Hamas to what Biden described as an Israeli initiative. “The movement and factions of the resistance will deal seriously and positively with any agreement that is based on a comprehensive ending of the aggression and the complete withdrawal and prisoners swap,” Haniyeh said. Asked whether Haniyeh’s remarks amounted to the group’s reply to Biden, a senior Hamas official replied to a text message from Reuters with a “thumbs up” emoji. Washington is still pressing hard to reach an agreement. CIA director William Burns met senior officials from mediators Qatar and Egypt on Wednesday in Doha to discuss the ceasefire proposal. Since a brief week-long truce in November, all attempts to arrange a ceasefire have failed, with Hamas insisting on its demand for a permanent end to the conflict, while Israel says it is prepared to discuss only temporary pauses until the militant group is defeated. Biden has repeatedly declared that ceasefires were close over the past several months, only for no truce to materialize. Notably, Biden said in February that Israel agreed to a ceasefire by the start of the Ramadan Muslim holy month on March 10, a deadline which passed with military operations in full swing. But last week’s announcement came with far greater fanfare from the White House, and at a time when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under mounting domestic political pressure to chart a path to end the eight-month-old war and negotiate the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. Three US officials told Reuters that Biden, having obtained Israel’s agreement for the proposal, had deliberately announced it without warning the Israelis he would do so, to narrow the room for Netanyahu to back away. “We didn’t ask permission to announce the proposal,” said a senior US official granted anonymity to speak freely about the negotiations. “We informed the Israelis we were going to give a speech on the situation in Gaza. We did not go into great detail about what it was.” Hamas, which rules Gaza, precipitated the war by attacking Israeli territory on Oct. 7, killing around 1,200 people and capturing more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Around half of the hostages were freed in the war’s only truce so far, which lasted a week in November. Israel’s military assault on Gaza has killed more than 36,000 people, according to health officials in the territory, who say thousands more dead are feared buried under the rubble.

Israel lukewarm Although Biden described the ceasefire proposal as an Israeli offer, Israel’s government has been lukewarm in public. A top Netanyahu aide confirmed on Sunday Israel had made the proposal even though it was “not a good deal.” Far-right members of Netanyahu’s government have pledged to quit if he agrees to a peace deal that leaves Hamas in place, a move that could force a new election and end the political career of Israel’s longest-serving leader. Centrist opponents who joined Netanyahu’s war cabinet in a show of unity at the outset of the conflict have also threatened to quit, saying his government has no plan. Meanwhile, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said there would be no let-up in Israel’s offensive while negotiations over the ceasefire proposal were under way. “Any negotiations with Hamas would be conducted only under fire,” Gallant said in remarks carried by Israeli media after he flew aboard a warplane to inspect the Gaza front. Israel announced a new operation against Hamas in central Gaza on Wednesday, where Palestinian medics said airstrikes had killed dozens of people. Early on Thursday, the Hamas-run Gaza government media office said Israeli missiles killed at least 27 people and injured dozens who were sheltering at a UN school in Nuseirat in central Gaza. Israel’s military said there was a Hamas compound inside the school and fighters who took part in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel “were eliminated.” It said that before the strike by Israeli fighter jets, the military took steps to reduce the risk of harm to civilians. There was no immediate comment from Hamas. The armed wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad said they had fought gunbattles with Israeli forces on Wednesday in areas throughout the enclave and fired anti-tank rockets and shells. Two children were among the dead laid out on Wednesday in the city’s Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, one of the last hospitals functioning in Gaza. Mourners said the children had been killed along with their mother, who had been unable to leave when others in the neighborhood did. “This is not war, it is destruction that words are unable to express,” said their father Abu Mohammed Abu Saif.

US says response from Hamas on ceasefire proposal still awaited

Fighting rocks Gaza as major powers push for truce

Does escalating tit for tat between israel and lebanon’s hezbollah make a full-scale war inevitable.

• In the absence of a diplomatic breakthrough, the violence has expanded both in scope and intensity in recent weeks
• Since October, at least 455 people have died in Lebanon, including 88 civilians, and at least 14 soldiers and 11 civilians in Israel

DUBAI: Tit-for-tat exchanges between Israel and Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah militia have continued to escalate since violence along the shared border first erupted in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that sparked the Gaza conflict.

In the absence of a diplomatic breakthrough, the low-intensity conflict has expanded both in scope and intensity in recent weeks, leading to fears of an imminent full-scale war.

The violence since early October has killed at least 455 people in Lebanon, mostly fighters but including 88 civilians, according to an AFP tally. On the Israeli side, at least 14 soldiers and 11 civilians have been killed, according to the army.

• 4,900 Attacks launched by Israel against southern Lebanon since Oct. 7.

• 1,100 Attacks by Hezbollah against Israel and Israeli occupied territories in Lebanon. Source: ACLED

Israel has carried out nearly 4,900 attacks in southern Lebanon since Oct. 7, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) Project.

ACLED says Hezbollah has launched around 1,100 attacks on Israel as well as territories it has occupied in Lebanon over the same period.

Israeli strikes have made the entire border area in southern Lebanon a no-go zone, leading to the displacement of some 90,000 people, according to the UN migration agency, IOM. The same is true in northern Israel, where Hezbollah attacks have displaced 80,000 residents.

Since the tit-for-tat attacks began, Lebanese officials and communities living along the border have been braced for a potential escalation into a conflict of a scale not seen since the 2006 war.

In recent months, influential Israeli officials have been calling on the government to mount a new military operation to push Hezbollah away from Israel’s northern border.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said on Tuesday that Israel is close to making a decision regarding Hezbollah’s daily attacks, according to the Times of Israel newspaper.

“We are approaching the point where a decision will have to be made, and the IDF is prepared and very ready for this decision,” Halevi said during an assessment with military officials and Fire Commissioner Eyal Caspi, at an army base in Kiryat Shmona.

“We have been attacking for eight months, and Hezbollah is paying a very, very high price. It has increased its strengths in recent days and we are prepared after a very good process of training … to move to an attack in the north.”

Former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett tore into Benjamin Netanyahu’s government this week, claiming the north of Israel had been abandoned. “We must save the north,” he said in a statement. “The Galilee is going up in flames. The fire is spreading.

“Beautiful and flourishing places have turned into heaps of rubble. Some residents who were evacuated are already planning their lives elsewhere. This is a grave strategic event and can in no way be normalized.”

Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary-general of Hezbollah, has said the militia’s campaign will continue as long as the war rages in Gaza.

In a speech last week, he said the attacks are “pressuring Israel,” and that while the battle concerns Palestine, it also concerns “the future of Lebanon and its water and oil resources.”

Should a full-scale war break out, Nasrallah said Hezbollah has “surprises” in store for Israel. Indeed, many region watchers expect any conflict between Israel and Hezbollah to be far more devastating and costly for both sides than the war in Gaza.

Nasrallah’s comments followed statements by Yaov Gallant, Israel’s defense minister, who warned Lebanon would “pay the price” for Hezbollah’s actions, saying “if you will continue, we will accelerate.”

Although both sides have raised the rhetorical ante, Israeli analyst Ori Goldberg believes an all-out war with Hezbollah would be a disastrous overreach for Israel.

“Israel cannot afford a two-front war,” he told Arab News. “That is not sustainable. Hezbollah will be able to reach the Israeli heartland with its rockets. Israel is already imploding. More than 100,000 Israelis seem to have been permanently displaced.”

Nevertheless, if Prime Minister Netanyahu were to present a new war in Lebanon as the only viable option to allow displaced Israelis to return home, then “there is a good possibility that he can rally enough support,” said Goldberg.

“In a way, a war in Lebanon is something Israel’s professional warmongers have been pitching for years. Also, Israel is really hard up for solutions that would return people to the north. So popular support is there to be tapped.”

Amos Hochstein, a senior adviser to US President Joe Biden for energy and investment, who brokered the maritime boundary agreement between Lebanon and Israel in late 2022, recently proposed a road map to peace between Israel and Hezbollah.

“I’m not expecting peace, everlasting peace, between Hezbollah and Israel,” Hochstein said in an interview with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in March.

“But if we can reach a set of understandings and ... take away some of the impetus for conflict and establish for the first time ever, a recognized border between the two, I think that will go a long way.”

Hezbollah, however, has conditioned any agreement on a ceasefire in Gaza, arguing any deal would require the consent of both parties.

Michael Young, author and senior editor at Carnegie Middle East, believes that despite its continued provocations, Hezbollah does not want a full-scale war with Israel.

“Everything they’ve shown, up till now, proves that they are avoiding one at all costs,” Young told Arab News. “Sure, they have escalated in response to Israeli escalations, but clearly they are not looking for one.

“If there is war, I don’t think there will be support from large segments of Lebanese society, and Hezbollah knows this. Even though there is anger with Israel, they will not support one.

“There is criticism from outside the Shiite community. The reason why Hezbollah is careful not to engage in a full-scale war is that it knows support from society will dissolve very quickly.”

Hezbollah on Tuesday said one of its members who lived in the Naqoura area was killed in an Israeli strike, and that its fighters launched “a slew of explosive-laden drones” at Israeli positions in the annexed Golan Heights in retaliation for the attack on the coastal town.

It also claimed other attacks on Israeli troops and positions.

The Israeli army said in a statement that “fighter jets struck a Hezbollah terrorist” in Naqoura as well as hitting other sites.

Over the weekend, Hezbollah said its fighters had mounted a rocket attack against an Israeli army base in the border town of Kiryat Shmona, “scoring direct hits, igniting a fire and destroying parts of it,” according to militia statements.

The Israeli army confirmed the attack had taken place, with images of damaged infrastructure published by local media.

On Sunday night, the social media account of Green Southerners, a Lebanese civil society group dedicated to preserving national heritage, released videos purportedly showing massive fires around the border village of Al-Adisa.

The group claimed the fires were caused by Israel’s use of the incendiary weapon white phosphorus, and accused Israel of committing an act of “ecocide,” as the fires destroyed trees, farmland and animal habitats.

Twenty four hours later, massive fires were ignited by suspected Hezbollah attacks on the Israeli side of the border around Kiryat Shmona. Civilians were ordered to evacuate as firefighters battled the flames.

Israeli officials said more than 2,500 acres of land were affected by the fires, claiming it could take years for the land to recover.

On Monday, Hezbollah said it had fired Katyusha rockets toward Israeli bases in the occupied Golan Heights. For the first time since the outbreak of violence in October, the militia said it had launched a squadron of drones.

The Israeli military confirmed the attacks, stating it had intercepted one drone carrying explosives while two others fell in northern Israel.

For as long as Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza rages and Hezbollah continues to pose a threat to the towns and villages of northern Israel, the potential for escalation remains high

The consequences, however, would be severe for all parties.

“I think Hezbollah has demonstrated it is committed to tit for tat,” said Israeli analyst Goldberg. “If Israel invades — and invade it must, if it wants a war — I think Hezbollah will likely retaliate in kind.”

And although Hezbollah has the means to cause significant damage to Israeli cities with its arsenal of Iranian-supplied weapons, it is crisis-wracked Lebanon that has the most to lose in the event of a full-scale war.

Indeed, the 2019 financial crisis and the failure to establish a new government has plunged much of the population into poverty, left public services and infrastructure in tatters, and even risked reopening old sectarian wounds.

“Should there be a war, it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to put Lebanon back together as it was or even as it is today,” said Young of Carnegie Middle East.

“Already the sectarian social contract is falling apart. How do you do this after a very destructive war?”

Hezbollah won’t widen war but will fight if needed, deputy head tells Al Jazeera

Hezbollah launches series of attacks after Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon

Gaza war death toll reaches 36,586.

Hamas’s Health Ministry in Gaza said on Wednesday that at least 36,586 people have been killed in the territory during more  than seven months of war between Israel and Palestinian militants.

The toll includes at least 36 deaths over the past 24 hours, a ministry statement said, adding that 83,074 people have been wounded in the Gaza Strip since the war began when Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7.

The Gaza Strip faces unprecedented disease outbreaks this summer caused by piles of uncollected waste rotting in the heat, fueling further misery for residents already suffering from food shortages.

Fenia Diamanti, project coordinator of emergencies at the non-governmental organization, said that managing rubbish is one of its main concerns, since it can’t be removed from the war-torn territory and nor do inhabitants have access to dumps. 

“This amount of solid waste all over the strip causes multiple hygiene and sanitation problems,” Diamanti said.

“We fear diseases that never appeared in the strip before are going to appear and that will affect the entire population, especially in the summer when temperatures are going to rise.”

Israel has laid waste to much of the Gaza Strip.

Last month was the warmest May ever globally, marking the 12th consecutive month of record average temperatures, the European Commission-backed weather monitoring service Copernicus said.

Last summer, a heatwave in Gaza sent temperatures soaring to 38 degrees Celsius, causing 12-hour power cuts.

Former Meta engineer sues company saying he was fired over handling of Gaza content

Soaring Gaza civilian toll casts doubt on Israeli claims of compliance with law of war

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Palestinian President to Visit China

State visit to China by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas begins Tuesday. Jun. 9, 2023. | Photo: Twitter/@Resonant_News

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Beijing has positioned itself as a mediator in regional conflicts in the Middle East.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry announced Friday that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will visit China next week at the invitation of President Xi Jinping.

RELATED: China Voices Concern Over Destruction of the Kakhovka Dam

"At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, the President of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, will pay a state visit to China from June 13-16," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying announced in an official statement.

The Chinese government, which has held separate talks with Israeli and Palestinian diplomats, has expressed its willingness to support Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations.

Wang Wenbin, deputy director of the Foreign Ministry's Information Department, said Abbas "is the first Arab head of state received by China this year, fully embodying the high level of good relations between China and Palestine, which have traditionally been friendly." 

China stands ready to work with Palestine to follow through on the common understandings of leaders of the two countries and take the China-Palestine traditional friendship to new heights: Chinese FM https://t.co/ZmeEXpwBG9 pic.twitter.com/eBxmXsBbEW — China Xinhua News (@XHNews) June 9, 2023

"China has always firmly supported the just cause of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights," Wang Wenbin added at a briefing today, Friday.

Beijing has positioned itself as a mediator in regional conflicts in the Middle East. In March, it brokered the restoration of ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia, long-time rivals in the Persian Gulf.

According to Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, the Chinese platform for peace negotiations is based on the so-called "two-state solution" to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

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Palestinian president to visit China next week

BEIJING, June 9, 2023 (BSS/AFP) - Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas will  make a state visit to China next week, Beijing said Friday, after China  expressed readiness to help facilitate Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

Beijing has positioned itself as a mediator in the Middle East, brokering the  restoration of ties in March between Iran and Saudi Arabia -- rivals in a  region where the United States has for decades been the main powerbroker.

"At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, president of the state of  Palestine Mahmud Abbas will pay a state visit to China from June 13 to 16,"  foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said Friday.

"He is the first Arab head of state received by China this year, fully  embodying the high level of China-Palestine good relations, which have  traditionally been friendly," ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a regular  briefing later.

Abbas is an "old and good friend of the Chinese people", he added.

"China has always firmly supported the just cause of the Palestinian people  to restore their legitimate national rights."

Beijing has sought to boost its ties to the Middle East, challenging long- standing US influence there -- efforts that have drawn rebukes from  Washington.

Xi last December visited Saudi Arabia on an Arab outreach visit that also saw  him meet with Abbas and pledge to "work for an early, just and durable  solution to the Palestinian issue".

And during a trip to Riyadh this week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said  Saudi Arabia was not being forced to choose between Washington and Beijing,  striking a conciliatory tone following tensions with the long-time ally.

Blinken has also this week sought to mediate Israel-Palestinian tension,  urging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to undermine prospects  for a Palestinian state.

Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations have been stalled since 2014.

In April, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang told his Israeli and Palestinian  counterparts that his country was willing to aid peace negotiations, Xinhua  reported.

And Qin told Palestinian foreign minister Riyad Al-Maliki that Beijing  supports the resumption of talks as soon as possible, according to the state  news agency.

In both calls Qin emphasised China's push for peace talks on the basis of  implementing a "two-state solution".

"The Palestinian issue is the core of the Middle East issue. It bears on  peace and stability in the Middle East and on international fairness and  justice."

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Palestinian President To Visit China Next Week

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Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas has been invited to China by leader Xi Jinping

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas will make a state visit to China next week, Beijing said Friday, after China expressed readiness to help facilitate Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

Beijing has positioned itself as a mediator in the Middle East, brokering the restoration of ties in March between Iran and Saudi Arabia -- rivals in a region where the United States has for decades been the main powerbroker.

"At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, president of the state of Palestine Mahmud Abbas will pay a state visit to China from June 13 to 16," foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said Friday.

"He is the first Arab head of state received by China this year, fully embodying the high level of China-Palestine good relations, which have traditionally been friendly," ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a regular briefing later.

Abbas is an "old and good friend of the Chinese people", he added.

"China has always firmly supported the just cause of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights."

Beijing has sought to boost its ties to the Middle East, challenging long-standing US influence there -- efforts that have drawn rebukes from Washington.

Xi last December visited Saudi Arabia on an Arab outreach visit that also saw him meet with Abbas and pledge to "work for an early, just and durable solution to the Palestinian issue".

And during a trip to Riyadh this week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Saudi Arabia was not being forced to choose between Washington and Beijing, striking a conciliatory tone following tensions with the long-time ally.

Blinken has also this week sought to mediate Israel-Palestinian tension, urging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to undermine prospects for a Palestinian state.

Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations have been stalled since 2014.

In April, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang told his Israeli and Palestinian counterparts that his country was willing to aid peace negotiations, Xinhua reported.

And Qin told Palestinian foreign minister Riyad Al-Maliki that Beijing supports the resumption of talks as soon as possible, according to the state news agency.

In both calls Qin emphasised China's push for peace talks on the basis of implementing a "two-state solution".

"The Palestinian issue is the core of the Middle East issue. It bears on peace and stability in the Middle East and on international fairness and justice."

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Jacobabad needs a university, collective action, patience and passes, lying on tables not allowed, ch ashiq elected as chairman of apnsf, traffic comes to standstill in lahore as car drives in opposite…, modi set to take pm oath for 3rd time on june…, trump seeks lifting of gag order after conviction in hush money…, hezbollah ‘ready’ to engage in all-out war with israel, chinese premier pledges to advance law-based govt, china, venezuela vow close collaboration as fms meet, ‘fakhar zaman can win match alone’: former indian player warns rohit…, ronaldo makes big announcement, babar azam talks about ‘pressure game’ ahead of pak vs ind…, middle-order responsible for series loss against england, says babar azam, england defeats pakistan in final t20, palestinian president abbas to visit china next week.

BEIJING: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will pay a state visit to China from June 13 to 16, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Friday.

The president of the State of Palestine will make the visit at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, said Hua Chunying, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, in a statement.

Abbas is the first head of state of an Arab country China is set to receive this year, which showcases the high level of relations between China and Palestine, Wang Wenbin, another spokesperson for the ministry, told a regular press briefing in Beijing on Friday afternoon.

Calling Abbas “an old, good friend” of the Chinese people, Wang highlighted the traditional friendship between the two sides, saying that China was among the first countries to recognize the Palestine Liberation Organization and the State of Palestine.

He noted the solid political trust and deepened friendship between the two sides over the years and expressed readiness to take the relationship to a higher level.

The Palestine question, which has always been the core issue in the Middle East, concerns regional peace and stability and international fairness and justice, said Wang.

China has always firmly supported the Palestinian people in their just cause to restore their legitimate national rights, he added.

For ten consecutive years, President Xi has sent congratulatory messages to the special commemorative meeting in observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, said Wang.

He added that the Chinese president has, on many occasions, put forward China’s proposals for resolving the Palestinian question, stressing the need to resolutely advance a political settlement based on the two-state solution and intensify international efforts for peace.

As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China will continue to work with the international community to make unremitting efforts for the early achievement of a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Palestinian question, said the spokesperson.

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China’s Xi Jinping calls for peace conference and ‘justice’ over war in Gaza as Arab leaders visit Beijing

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Chinese leader Xi Jinping decried “tremendous sufferings” in the Middle East and called for an international peace conference as leaders from Arab nations visit Beijing this week amid mounting global concern over Israel’s war in Gaza .

“Since last October, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has escalated drastically, throwing the people into tremendous sufferings. War should not continue indefinitely. Justice should not be absent forever,” Xi said Thursday at the opening of a meeting between top diplomats from China and Arab states, also attended by several leaders from the region.

He also reiterated China’s call for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, as well as Beijing’s support for a “more broad-based, authoritative and effective international peace conference.”

The diplomatic gatherings in Beijing come as Israel’s war in Gaza remains an urgent global focus, as Israeli forces intensify operations in the enclave’s southern city of Rafah and a humanitarian crisis worsens by the day. Delegations from 22 Arab states met at Beijing’s Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, according to Chinese state media.

Later Thursday, Chinese and Arab-nation ministers adopted a strident joint statement condemning Israel’s “aggression against the Palestinian people” and in Rafah, according to the document as published by Chinese state media Friday.

The statement – which adopted some of China’s most pointed language to date on the conflict – decried what it described as a “deadly famine and blockade that has cut off all livelihoods” and “systematic” destruction of residential areas, hospitals, schools, mosques, churches and infrastructure in Gaza.

Israel has repeatedly defended its operations in the enclave as necessary to eradicate the militant group Hamas.

China , which has sought to deepen its relations across the Middle East in recent years, has positioned itself in alignment with the Arab world and the broader Global South on the nearly eight-month-long conflict, criticizing Israel and calling for a ceasefire.

Its stance has put it at odds with the United States, long a key power in the region and a primary backer of Israel. Chinese officials have used the conflict to hit out at Washington – fitting into a larger message from Beijing that frames the US as an aggressor unfairly dominating the current world order.

Xi in his remarks hailed a “common desire for a new era of China-Arab relations” and said their relations could be a “model for maintaining world peace and stability.”

“In this turbulent world, peaceful relations come from mutual respect, and lasting security is built on fairness and justice,” said the Chinese leader, who has pushed for an alternative model for global security to the alliance-based one backed by the US.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, United Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and Tunisian President Kais Saied are in China for state visits that coincide with the ministerial meeting.

War in Gaza on the agenda

Following the gathering, Wang told reporters the “strongest call of the meeting was one to firmly support the Palestinian people in restoring their legitimate national rights.”

“The joint statement puts forward a just voice to promote the speedy resolution of the Gaza conflict and the comprehensive, fair and lasting resolution of the Palestinian issue,” Wang said, according to Chinese state media.

Israel declared war on Hamas in Gaza following the militant group’s October 7 attack on its territory that killed some 1,200 people and saw more than 200 taken hostage, according to Israeli forces. More than 36,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of Israeli military operations in Gaza, according to its health ministry.

Since the start of the war, Beijing has positioned itself as a champion for the broader issue of a two-state solution, which would see the international recognition of a Palestinian state. The stance is in line with the country’s recognition of the Palestinian state in 1988.

China has also dispatched rounds of envoys to the region to meet Arab counterparts and supported calls for a ceasefire in the United Nations. It has not explicitly condemned Hamas for the October 7 attacks.

Beijing last month hosted representatives from rival Palestinian groups Fatah and Hamas for “reconciliation” talks.

In Thursday’s joint statement, China and its Arab-nation counterparts also called for the “end of the occupation of the territory of the State of Palestine” and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. It also condemned the US for using its United Nations Security Council veto to block a resolution that would have recommended granting full Palestinian UN membership.

With its diplomacy this week, China “wants to demonstrate leadership, consolidate ties, and call for ceasefire (in Gaza). It wants to be a particularly strong leader on this issue, at least rhetorically,” according to Yun Sun, director of the China program at the Washington-based Stimson Center think tank, speaking ahead of the meeting.

“China has chosen to side with Palestine and the Arab countries. The choice is deliberate as it does suggest a desire to align with Arab countries, and the Global South. But China didn’t create the crisis. It only capitalized on it,” she added.

Even as Beijing has sought to tighten ties throughout the Middle East in recent years, observers say its influence in the region remains limited.

Beijing has also appeared unwilling to take certain steps to respond to regional effects of the conflict. For example, it said it did not deploy additional naval assets to secure Red Sea shipping lanes that were under attack in recent months by Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

Xi during his opening remarks pledged China will provide an additional nearly $70 million to alleviating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and to supporting post-conflict reconstruction, adding to roughly $14 million already contributed, as well as $3 million to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in support of its emergency humanitarian assistance to Gaza.

Thursday’s ministerial meeting is the first such gathering since China held its first joint summit with Arab leaders in late 2022 in Saudi Arabia.

Then, Xi was welcomed to the Gulf state with fanfare – cutting a sharp contrast to a tense visit from US President Joe Biden earlier that year amid American outrage over Riyadh’s alleged role in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside its consulate in Istanbul.

Xi and other top Chinese officials also held bilateral talks with visiting leaders this week, and announced that China would hold the second China-Arab States Summit in 2026.

CNN’s Xiaofei Xu contributed to this report.

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Xi pledges more Gaza aid and talks trade at summit with Arab leaders

Chinese President Xi Jinping is calling for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and promising more humanitarian aid for people in Gaza

BEIJING — Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated calls for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and promised more humanitarian aid for people in Gaza as he opened a summit with leaders of Arab states Thursday in Beijing.

“Since last October, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has escalated drastically, throwing people into tremendous suffering,” Xi said in a speech opening the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum. “War should not continue indefinitely.”

He called for an international peace conference for resolving the Israel-Hamas war and pledged 500 million yuan ($69 million) in humanitarian aid for Gaza. He also promised to donate $3 million to a United Nations agency that provides assistance and relief to refugees of the Israel-Hamas war .

Beijing and the Arab states support Palestinians in the conflict, where Israel is facing growing international condemnation after its strike in the southern Gaza city of Rafah in which at least 45 people were killed over the weekend. The overall Palestinian death toll in the war exceeds 36,000, according to the Gaza Health Ministry .

Beijing has long backed Palestinians and denounced Israel over its settlements in the occupied territories. It has not criticized the Hamas attack on Oct. 7 — which killed about 1,200 Israelis — while the United States and others have called it an act of terrorism. However, China has growing economic ties with Israel.

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Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, who spoke at the opening ceremony, praised China for supporting an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

“I call on all active actors of the international community to assume their moral and legal responsibilities to stop the outrageous Israeli war,” el-Sissi said. “I further urge the international community to take immediate and decisive action to enforce the instantaneous and unfettered delivery of humanitarian aid and assistance to the Gaza Strip to break the Israeli siege and counter any attempts to forcibly displace the Palestinians from their lands,” el-Sissi said.

Besides addressing the war, the Chinese leader also called on Arab states to deepen cooperation in areas such as trade, clean energy, space exploration and health care.

The summit attended by heads of state from the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Tunisia among others was set to focus on China’s expanding trade ties and on security concerns related to the Israel-Hamas war .

“China’s priorities in the region are primarily economic,” said Maria Papageorgiou, a lecturer in politics and international relations at University of Exeter. “It wants to continue the momentum established in recent years with Gulf states and expand its investments, particularly in trade, technology (5G networks), and other cyber initiatives.”

Additionally, China wants to present itself as an alternative to the West and a more credible partner to the region, one that doesn’t interfere in the nations’ domestic affairs nor exert pressure, Papageorgiou said.

Xi and el-Sissi had a bilateral meeting on Wednesday, during which they signed a series of cooperation agreements in areas such as infrastructure, technology and food imports meant to strengthen their ties .

China has invested billions of dollars in Egyptian state projects , including a Suez Canal economic zone and a new administrative capital east of Cairo. Investments between Egypt and China amounted to around $14 billion in 2023, compared to $16.6 billion in 2022, according to Egypt’s statistics agency.

Also at the forum are Tunisia’s President Kais Saied, Emirati President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Bahrain King Hamad.

The China-Arab States Cooperation Forum was established in 2004 as a formal dialogue mechanism between China and Arab states.

China is Tunisia’s fourth-largest trading partner after Germany, Italy and France. Beijing has financed hospitals and sports complexes in Tunisia, and its companies have been contracted to build strategic infrastructure such as bridges and deep-water Mediterranean ports.

The UAE also has expansive, growing economic relations with China and has faced U.S. criticism for an alleged Chinese military facility being built in Abu Dhabi.

Besides China’s expansive trade ties in the Middle East, it has increasingly sought to play a diplomatic role in the region. In 2023, Beijing helped broker an agreement that saw Saudi Arabia and Iran reestablish diplomatic relations after seven years of tension in a role previously reserved for longtime global heavyweights like the U.S. and Russia.

Mistreanu reported from Taipei, Taiwan. Associated Press journalists Fatma Khaled in Cairo; Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; and Sam Metz in Agadir, Morocco; and video producer Liu Zheng in Beijing contributed to this report.

• You Are At:

China's Xi calls for Palestinian statehood, pledges more Gaza aid in summit with Arab states

The summit was attended by leaders of egypt, tunisia, bahrain and the united arab emirates (uae). china has long backed palestinians and has not criticised the hamas-led attack on israel on october 7, despite having economic ties with israel..

“Since last October, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has escalated drastically, throwing people into tremendous suffering,” Xi said in a speech opening the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum. “War should not continue indefinitely," he added, calling on the Arab states to deepen cooperation in areas such as trade, clean energy, space exploration and health care.

Xi said China would continue to support alleviating the humanitarian crisis, and post-war rebuilding in Gaza, pledging to provide another 500 million yuan ($69 million) in emergency humanitarian assistance. He also pledged to donate $3 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East to support its emergency assistance to the Gaza region. He said China would further cooperate with Arab states on several fronts including in the oil and gas fields, as well as larger-scale investments.

The summit attended by heads of state from Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Tunisia among others was set to focus on China's expanding trade ties and on security concerns related to the Israel-Hamas war. This comes when Israel is facing international condemnation after the strike in the southern Gaza city of Rafah in which at least 45 were killed over the weekend. The overall Palestinian death toll in the war exceeds 36,000, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Why is China backing Palestinians despite ties with Israel?

According to Maria Papageorgiou, a lecturer in politics and international relations at University of Exeter, China's priorities in the region are "primarily economic" as it wants to continue the momentum established in recent years with Gulf states and expand its investments, particularly in trade, technology (5G networks), and other cyber initiatives. 

Additionally, China wants to present itself as an alternative to the West and a more credible partner to the region, one that doesn't interfere in the nations' domestic affairs nor exert pressure, Papageorgiou said. China has sought to play a diplomatic role in the Middle East, helping broker an agreement to re-establish ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran after seven years of tension.

China's engagement with Middle East countries

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi met Xi on Wednesday. The two leaders signed a series of cooperation agreements in areas such as infrastructure, technology and food imports meant to further their countries' ties. China has invested billions of dollars in Egyptian state projects, with combined investments totalling $16.6 billion in 2023.

Also at the forum are Tunisia's President Kais Saied, Emirati President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Bahrain King Hamad. The China-Arab States Cooperation Forum was established in 2004 as a formal dialogue mechanism between China and Arab states.

China is Tunisia's fourth-largest trading partner after Germany, Italy and France. Beijing has financed hospitals and sports complexes in Tunisia, and its companies have been contracted to build strategic infrastructure such as bridges and deep-water Mediterranean ports. The UAE also has expansive, growing economic ties with China and has faced US criticism for an alleged Chinese military facility being built in Abu Dhabi.

(with inputs from agencies)

ALSO READ |  China helping Pakistan in boosting defence capabilities near Jammu and Kashmir for last 3 years: Report

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Pakistan PM Sharif to Visit China June 4-8, Foreign Ministry Says

FILE PHOTO: Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif speaks at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, April 28, 2024. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed/File Photo

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit China from June 4 to 8 on the invitation of President Xi Jinping, Pakistan's foreign ministry said on Friday.

Chinese investment and financial support since 2013 have been key for the South Asian nation's struggling economy, including the rolling over of loans so that Islamabad is able to meet external financing needs at a time foreign reserves are critically low.

The trip will seek to upgrade cooperation under the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is a key part of Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative, the foreign office spokesman Mumtaz Baloch said in a press briefing.

"An important aspect of the prime minister's visit will be meetings with corporate executives of leading Chinese companies dealing with oil and gas, energy, ICT and emerging technologies," Baloch said.

Sharif will meet President Xi and hold delegation level talks with Premier Li Qiang, Baloch added.

China has also invested billions in various power projects and road networks in Pakistan under the $65 billion CPEC plan, but the implementation of various projects has slowed in recent months.

Chinese citizens and interests have been regularly attacked in Pakistan by militants, the most recent of which was the killing of six Chinese engineers in a suicide bombing in March. The engineers were working on a dam in northern Pakistan.

Beijing has pressed Pakistan to guarantee the safety of Chinese organisations and personnel working there.

The announcement of Sharif's visit comes days after Pakistan announced it had arrested 11 Islamist militants involved in the bombing. Islamabad has said the militants operate out of Afghanistan, but Kabul has rejected the charges.

(Reporting by Gibran Peshimam; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Sharon Singleton)

Copyright 2024 Thomson Reuters .

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Sino-Pak relations 'unshakable' says PM Sharif as he embarks on China visit

Islamabad, Jun 4 (PTI) Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday emphasised that Pakistan's all-weather relationship with China was "unshakable" as he embarked on a five-day official visit to Beijing to further bolster bilateral ties and to launch the second phase of the multi-billion dollar CPEC projects in his country.      Sharif will be in China from June 4 to 8 at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.      The 72-year-old leader embarked on his first visit to China after he took over as prime minister for the second term after his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party-led coalition government assumed power in March.      During his visit, Sharif will hold talks with Chinese President Xi and “jointly draw a blueprint” for the growth of China-Pakistan relations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said in Beijing last week.      During Sharif's visit, the two countries are expected to launch the second phase of the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).      The CPEC, which connects Gwadar Port in Pakistan's Balochistan with China's Xinjiang province, is the flagship project of China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The BRI is seen as an attempt by China to further its influence abroad with infrastructure projects funded by Chinese investments across the world.      In an interview with Chinese media here ahead of his visit, Sharif said that the two countries are "iron brothers" and their friendship is unshakable.      "We are two iron brothers, our friendship is unshakable and our hearts beat together," Sharif was quoted as saying by Chinese state-run Xinhua news agency.      "Despite the hot weather, it still doesn't match the warmth of our hearts," the prime minister said.      He asserted that China has supported Pakistan through the difficult times, and Islamabad considers Beijing as one of the "most trusted friends" around the globe.      Sharif said that on his first visit to China about 40 years ago, he noticed that though underdeveloped, the country was dedicated to meeting the basic needs of its people while vigorously developing modern science and technology.      "Today, China has become a giant through vision, hard work, and serious and untiring efforts," he said.      "All doubts about the Chinese model have been rubbished by the evidence of history," he added.      He said that Pakistan is willing to promote economic cooperation with China, learn from Beijing's advanced experience in information technology and artificial intelligence, consolidate the ironclad friendship between the two countries, and achieve leapfrog development.      Pakistan is also ready to learn from China's governance experience, deepen reforms and counter-corruption, create enabling circumstances for Chinese investors, and provide policy support for investors, focusing on fields that can benefit both peoples to modernise the economy, he was quoted as saying.      Sharif said that under Xi's leadership, China has alleviated millions of its people out of poverty. He added that one of the agenda items for his visit is to learn from the Chinese model about how to alleviate poverty in Pakistan and help people stand on their own feet.      Cash-strapped Pakistan's economy is facing severe headwinds, and it has formally requested the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the next bailout package between USD 6 and USD 8 billion with the possibility of augmentation through climate financing.      On Monday, the Chinese Ambassador in Pakistan, Jiang Zaidong, said that under Sharif and Xi's guidance and strong support from the people of both countries, Sharif's visit to China would achieve complete success and become a milestone in the development of China-Pakistan relations.      Highlighting the various components of the visit, he said the prime minister would meet and also have talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Zhao Leji.      The leaders will have an in-depth exchange of views on China-Pakistan relations and issues of mutual interest and jointly draw up a blueprint for the growth of bilateral relations, Jiang was quoted as saying by the official Associated Press of Pakistan news agency.      “China stands ready to work with Pakistan through this visit to make greater progress in our all-weather strategic cooperative partnership and take new steps in building an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era,” he said.      Regarding CPEC, Jiang said the landmark Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) project brought a total of USD 25.4 billion in direct investment, 2,36,000 jobs, 510 km of highways, more than 8000 megawatts of electricity and 886 km of core transmission network, generating a strong impetus to Pakistan’s economic and social development.      Sharif's visit aims to increase cooperation under the CPEC project as the two all-weather allies look forward to launching its second phase.      He will undertake discussions with top Chinese officials to further upgrade CPEC and advance trade and investment.      The prime minister said that through the visit, Pakistan hopes to promote interaction between enterprises in both countries, utilise special economic zones and Pakistan's labour advantages to establish joint ventures, facilitate the transfer of industries and technologies, and enhance its manufacturing output to promote upgrading the CPEC.      He said that the proposed BRI benefits people in participating countries, promotes cooperation, and advances the world towards a vision of shared prosperity and a better future, according to the report.      The CPEC was launched a decade ago, and several energy and infrastructure projects have already been completed.      India firmly opposes the CPEC, which will link Xinjiang in China and the Gwadar port in Pakistan because it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.      To advance economic ties between the two countries, the prime minister will meet with corporate executives of leading Chinese companies dealing in oil and gas, energy, ICT (Information and Communications Technology), and emerging technologies, the report said.      The talks will be held to enhance cooperation in security and defence, energy, space, science and technology, and education sectors, it said.      Sharif will address the China-Pakistan Business Forum in Shenzhen with leading businesspersons, entrepreneurs, and investors from both countries. He will also visit the Economic and Agricultural Zones in China, it said.      Sharif’s visit to Beijing, which is always a first stop for Pakistani leaders after taking over power, is taking place as Pakistan is facing a severe economic crisis with foreign exchange reserves continuing to remain at a low level. China is bankrolling Pakistan to maintain the balance of payments with periodic loans to maintain the requisite forex reserves.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)

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Israel-Gaza latest: Hamas responds to ceasefire proposal - as Netanyahu casts doubt on deal

Joe Biden announced a surprise plan with three phases: the first would be a six-week ceasefire, the second the return of remaining hostages, and the third a reconstruction plan for Gaza. We'll be bringing you all the reaction to this throughout the day.

Sunday 2 June 2024 07:16, UK

• Israel-Hamas war

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• US President Joe Biden announces new ceasefire and hostage deal proposal
• Hamas views latest proposed deal 'positively'
• Israel's conditions for ending the war have not changed, Netanyahu's office says
• Chances of ceasefire 'not that realistic', expert says  
• Egypt making 'intensive efforts' to resume negotiations - report
• Israeli opposition leader urges Netanyahu to take deal - and says he will prop up government
• Explained: What is in Biden's three-phase plan?
• Analysis: Israel seemed blindsided by Biden announcement
• Live reporting by Emily Mee

We will be focusing on our general election coverage tomorrow, but we'll be back with more live updates on the Israel-Hamas war next week. 

Models Bella and Gigi Hadid are collectively donating one million dollars (£785,000) to support relief efforts, according to their agent. 

The money will go to Heal Palestine, Palestine Children's Relief Fund (PCRF), World Central Kitchen (WCK), and United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

The sisters have frequently been vocal in their support for Gaza, and their father Mohamed Anwar Hadid is himself Palestinian. 

After Hamas's 7 October attack on Israel, Gigi, 29, offered her condolences to those affected.

"My thoughts are with all those affected by this unjustifiable tragedy, and every day that innocent lives are taken by this conflict - too many of which are children," she wrote on Instagram.

"I have deep empathy and heartbreak for the Palestinian struggle and life under occupation, it's a responsibility I hold daily."

She added: "While I have hopes and dreams for Palestinians, none of them include the harm of a Jewish person."

Bella, 27, said in May that she was "devastated at the loss of the Palestinian people and the lack of empathy coming from the government systems worldwide".

The United Nations food agency has said it is unable to feed most civilians in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. 

Only 27,000 people in Rafah are currently being reached by the World Food Programme (WFP), according to its local director Matthew Hollingworth. 

Roughly one million Palestinians are living in the area, many of them displaced from other parts of Gaza. 

"The sounds, the smells, the everyday life are horrific and apocalyptic," Mr Hollingworth told journalists. 

"People sleep to the sounds of bombing, they sleep to the sounds of drones, they sleep to the sounds of war, as now tanks roll into parts of central Rafah, which is only kilometers away. And they wake to the same sounds." 

A ceasefire proposal consisting of three phases has been outlined by Joe Biden. 

What do those phases entail, what have Israel and Hamas said about the plan and how does it compare to the last proposal?

Read more below...

The French president has backed the ceasefire proposal set out by Joe Biden last night. 

Emmanuel Macron said he supported the proposal for "a durable peace" and that the war "must end". 

France is also working with partners in the region on "peace and security for all", he said. 

A high-level official has said Egypt is undertaking "intensive efforts" to "resume negotiations" for a ceasefire and hostage deal, according to a report. 

The official, quoted by Al-Qahera TV, said this was "in light of the recent American proposition". 

Last night, Joe Biden detailed a ceasefire and hostage deal proposal that he said Israel had put to Hamas. 

However, Israeli officials have told our correspondents they were "blindsided" by the announcement. 

If it works, then this will be a smart and cunning diplomatic move.

If it doesn't then President Joe Biden will look foolish.

He knows the huge risk of once again being taken for a ride by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Few knew that he was due to make this announcement.

Read more from our US correspondent Mark Stone below...

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has said 33 of its employees have been killed in Gaza since the war began. 

Of those, it said 19 were killed "while performing their humanitarian duties". 

The organisation today buried Mohammed Jihad Abed, an employee in the disaster risk management department. 

He was killed in an Israeli attack on his home in Rafah last night. 

American, Egyptian and Israeli officials will be meeting tomorrow in Cairo to discuss the reopening of Gaza's Rafah crossing, according to a report. 

Egypt is insisting that Israel withdraw its forces from the crossing, a high-level source told Egypt's state-linked Al Qahera TV. 

Israel seized the Gaza side of the crossing last month during its offensive in the city of Rafah. 

Earlier this week, a member of Egypt's security forces was killed in a shooting incident near the Rafah crossing.

An Egyptian soldier stationed on a watchtower had reacted to seeing an armoured vehicle carrying Israeli troops cross a boundary line near the border while the soldiers pursued and killed several Palestinians, two Egyptian security sources told Reuters news agency. 

The soldier opened fire and Israeli forces fired back, killing him, the sources said, sparking an exchange of gunfire between the two sides. 

The British prime minister has praised the proposed ceasefire deal set out by Joe Biden, saying it is "welcome news". 

Rishi Sunak said he hopes Hamas "takes this opportunity to take this deal that is on the table, [and] that would ensure hostages can be released and be back with their families". 

He also expressed hopes to "flood Gaza with far more aid than has been getting in" and to "use that pause in the fighting to build a sustainable and lasting peace". 

Mr Sunak joins a growing group of world leaders expressing support for the deal, which will only put more pressure on Israel and Hamas. 

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