Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Israeli President Isaac Herzog on the sidelines of a conference and urged Israel to halt the “forced establishment” of settlements in the West Bank.
Wang’s remarks came amid growing international pressure on Israel to curb settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory. The West Bank has been the focus of a long‑standing dispute, with many settlements deemed illegal under international law by the United Nations and the International Court of Justice.
China has consistently called for a two‑state solution and has voiced support for Palestinian statehood. In the conversation, Wang reiterated Beijing’s position that further settlement expansion undermines prospects for a negotiated peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
President Herzog listened to the Chinese envoy’s concerns, though he did not respond publicly in the brief exchange. The meeting highlighted the continuing diplomatic engagement between the two countries on sensitive Middle East issues.
The statement is likely to add to the diplomatic pressure on Israel, as China seeks to reinforce its role as a mediator in the region and to align its foreign policy with broader international calls for a peaceful resolution to the Israeli‑Palestinian conflict.
<small>Source: BBC News — read the original story there.</small>
