PARIS, France and China on Monday voiced opposition to any Israeli occupation offensive on the city of Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, warning that it would cause an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.
This announcement was made in a joint statement by French President Emmanuel Macron and Chinese President Xi Jinping who is currently on a state visit to Paris from May 5-7.
The two leaders expressed opposition to the forced displacement of Palestinian people from their lands.
They condemned all violations of international humanitarian law, including all terrorist acts and indiscriminate attacks against civilians and stressed the absolute necessity of protecting civilians in the Gaza Strip in accordance with international humanitarian law.
Macron and Xi Jinping affirmed the urgent need for an immediate and permanent ceasefire to increase the delivery of humanitarian aid and to protect civilians in the Gaza Strip.
The two leaders called for opening of all routes and all crossing points in order to allow the
rapid, safe, sustainable and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to the entire Gaza Strip. They stressed the importance of strengthening the coordination of international efforts at the humanitarian level.
They demanded “effective and immediate” implementation of relevant United Nations resolutions, especially the UN Security Council Resolutions 2712, 2720 and 2728.
This is the only trustworthy way to ensure peace and security for all and to ensure that neither Palestinians nor Israelis suffer from the atrocities they have experienced since the October 7 attacks, they stated.
They urged all parties to refrain from taking unilateral measures on the ground that would fuel tension. In this regard, they condemned the Israeli settlement policy, which is considered illegal under international law and constitutes a major obstacle to any lasting peace and the possibility of establishing a future viable Palestinian state.
They argued that the future governance of the Gaza Strip cannot be separated from the pol
itical settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the basis of the “two-state solution.” Macron and Xi Jinping stressed the importance of relaunching a political process in a decisive and irreversible manner in order to implement the two-state solution, Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security with Jerusalem as their capital, in addition to the establishment of a viable, independent and sovereign Palestinian state on the basis of the 1967 lines.
The two leaders indicated their adherence to this solution, stressing that it “is the only way to respond to the legitimate aspirations of Israelis and Palestinians for lasting peace and security.” They expressed their deep concern about the danger of the expansion of the conflict in the region.
They unveiled that France and China are working with their regional partners to stop the escalation, calling on all parties concerned to exercise restraint.
Regarding the Iranian nuclear issue, France and China reaffirmed their commitment to str
engthening the political and diplomatic settlement of this issue. The two presidents described the signing of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in 2015 is an important achievement for multilateral diplomacy.
They expressed their concern about the risks of escalation, emphasizing the importance of cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency and strengthening diplomatic efforts.
Macron and Xi Jinping reiterated their commitment to working to preserve the international commitment for nuclear non-proliferation as well as promoting peace and stability in the Middle East.
They underlined the importance of preserving freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, calling for an immediate cessation of attacks against civilian ships in order to “preserve maritime security and global trade and prevent regional tensions and humanitarian and environmental risks.” They called for observing a global truce during the 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games.
They announced that their countr
ies are working together to search for “constructive” solutions on the basis of international law to challenges and threats affecting international security and stability.
Source: Kuwait News Agency