China offers to facilitate Israel-Palestinian peace talks

Chinas foreign minister told his Israeli and Palestinian counterparts that his country is ready to help facilitate peace talks between the two sides in its latest effort at mediation in the regionIn separate phone calls to the two officials on Monday Qin Gang expressed Chinas concern over intensifying tensions between Israel and Palestinians and its support for a resumption of peace talks the Foreign Ministry said in statements issued late MondayLast month Saudi Arabia and Iran reached a deal in China to restore diplomatic ties that were cut off in 2016 It was a dramatic moment of diplomacy for China that Beijing touted as evidence of its ability to be a diplomatic player in the Middle EastQin stressed in his talks with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen that Saudi Arabia and Iran have set a good example of overcoming differences through dialogue a statement about that phone call saidHe told Cohen that Beijing encourages Israel and the Palestinians to show political courage and take steps to resume peace talks ldquoChina is willing to provide convenience for thisrdquo he was quoted as sayingIsrael and the Palestinians have not held substantive peace talks on ending the centurylong conflict in over a decadeIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government is committed to expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank ldquowhich most of the international community considers illegal and an obstacle to peacerdquo and several of his key allies are staunchly opposed to the creation of an independent Palestinian stateAlso readMumbai 12 including employees of insurance firm booked by MIDC police for cheating customersCohen expressed his countrys commitment to reducing tensions but said the problem appeared to be difficult to resolve in the short term the Chinese Foreign Ministry statement saidIsraels Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Qin and Cohen discussed ldquothe importance of maintaining quiet at the Temple Mount particularly in the final days of Ramadanrdquo the Muslim holy month but made no mention of peace talks with the PalestiniansIt said that Cohen conveyed ldquothe threat that we see in Irans nuclear programmerdquo and called on China to help prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weaponsQin also told Palestinian Foreign Affairs Minister Riyad alMaliki that China is willing to play an active role in the resumption of talks a second statement saidOn Tuesday Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin confirmed Qins outreach to the two officials ldquoIt is never too late to do the right thingrdquo he saidThis month violence in Israel and the West Bank has increased touched off by an Israeli police raid on Jerusalems most sensitive holy site the compound home to the AlAqsa mosqueThe Israeli military struck sites linked to the Palestinian group Hamas in southern Lebanon and the Gaza Strip after militants in the two territories fired rocket salvos at Israel The mosque sits on a contested hilltop revered as the thirdholiest site in Islam and the holiest site in JudaismThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever