Gaza, West Bank not 'bargaining chip in political trade-offs,' says Chinese foreign minister

China’s foreign minister on Tuesday stressed that the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank must not be treated as a “bargaining chip” in international politics, as he called on the UN to reinvigorate multilateralism and reform global governance, Anadolu Agency reports.

“The international community drew painful lessons from the scourge of two world wars, and the United Nations was founded,” said Wang Yi at a UN Security Council meeting, urging the world “not forget why we started out in the beginning.”

As the term president of the Security Council for February, China organized a high-level meeting on “Maintenance of international peace and security: practicing multilateralism, reforming and improving global governance.”

Emphasizing the emerging crises across the globe, Wang said: “We need more than ever to remind ourselves of the founding mission of the UN, reinvigorate true multilateralism and speed up the efforts to build a more just and equitable global governance system.”

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“Resolutions of the Security Council are binding and should be observed by all countries,” he said, adding that “the Security Council must rise above narrow-minded geopolitical considerations, champion the spirit of solidarity and cooperation, fulfill its duties conferred by the UN charter, and effectually play its role for the maintenance of international peace and security.”

He described the situation in the Middle East as “tense and fragile,” and stressed that “Gaza and the West Bank are the homeland of the Palestinian people, not a bargaining chip in political trade-offs.”

Noting the necessity of a two-state solution to the Palestine-Israel conflict, he said it would bring a “just and lasting settlement” not only to Palestine but to the entire Middle East.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told the Council that “we are meeting today at a time of profound global turbulence.”

“The continued inequalities of the global financial system have further aggravated today’s crises,” he said, and urged the Council to “promote the peaceful settlement of disputes, resolve and not merely manage conflicts.”

“The UN Security Council must become more democratic, representative and accountable,” added.

On Gaza, Dar described the ceasefire as a “glimmer of hope,” and said: “We hope that all stages of the agreement will be fully implemented, leading to a permanent ceasefire and an inclusive political process towards a two-state solution.”

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“We also look forward to the earliest reconstruction of Gaza. We oppose any displacement of the Palestinian people from their homeland,” he noted.

Somalia’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi shared similar views, and stressed the need for “global governance and multilateralism.”

“We should continue to reform and expand the Security Council, including by granting African states two permanent seats. They should come with the right to veto, because that would reflect geopolitical transitions,” he said.

Algeria’s Foreign Minister in charge of African Affairs, Selma Haddadi, also highlighted the “escalating geopolitical tensions and the multiplication of political and security crises.”

“It is unacceptable that there is an ongoing historic injustice endured by Africa,” she said.

Reaffirming Algeria’s “full support” for a permanent seat at the Security Council, she said: “There is a need to improve the working methods of the Security Council to ensure that they be more transparent and effective, and for there to be equal opportunity for all members of the Security Council.”

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