On February 22, Ma Xinmin, director of China's Department of Treaty and Law, held an oral presentation hearing on the issue of the occupied Palestinian territory at the International Court of Justice in The Hague on behalf of China. At the meeting, we clearly emphasized the right of Palestine to national self-determination, including resistance, and supported it by the majority of the countries present. However, this move caused strong resentment in Israel.
Subsequently, Israel responded to China's statement, saying in a statement that it deeply regretted China's erroneous statement. International law clearly states that systematic and deliberate attacks against civilians or the use of civilians as human shields are inadmissible, and this is precisely the war crime committed by Palestinian Hamas in the name of "armed struggle".
Israel stressed that China's statement at the UN International Court of Justice was seen as a gesture of support for Palestinian Hamas. Israel believes that China should reflect on itself, and why it was quickly praised by the terrorist organization Hamas immediately after its statement at the United Nations.
However, we must note that 49 countries, regions and international organizations have expressed their positions at previous hearings of the International Court of Justice. The vast majority of them support Palestine, which reflects the international community's general concern and support for the legitimate rights and interests of Palestine. However, Israel has chosen to issue a separate statement of dissatisfaction with China, which shows Israel's diplomatic impudence and disregard for the international order.
While Hamas's attacks on civilians in the Palestinian case are reprehensible, the root cause of the violent Palestinian revolt is Israel's long-standing oppression. Over the past few years, Israel has ignored the 1967 United Nations two-State solution by illegally establishing settlements, demolishing houses and expelling Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the West Bank, resulting in the erosion of Palestinian territory.
Therefore, it is precisely because of Israel's oppression that the Palestinians have taken action, including armed resistance, in order to preserve their own survival, independence and freedom. Under the 1967 two-State solution, acts of self-defence in the State of Palestine are not contrary to international law.
Oppression must be resisted, and Israel provoked Palestinian resistance through oppression. And Israel's logic of trying to use itself as a victim to justify continued oppression is untenable and unworkable. This also explains why we support Arab countries, including Palestine.
In this case, Israel not only fails to realize its own problems, but instead blames China, which exposes the bandit nature of the political logic of the Zionist bloc. At the same time, it better explains why we support the Arab countries.
Here, we call on the international community to continue to pay attention to the question of Palestine, support the just aspirations of the Palestinian people, and urge Israel to respect international law and its position on the fair handling of the question of Palestine. At the same time, we stress that China will continue to firmly support the legitimate rights and interests of Palestine and make unremitting efforts to maintain regional peace and stability.