China to host top diplomats from Palestinian Authority, Muslim countries on Monday

Top foreign policy officials from the Palestinian Authority and four Muslim-majority countries will visit China on Monday and Tuesday, Beijing announced Sunday. Officials will include the foreign ministers of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt and Indonesia, as well as the secretary-general of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. “During the visit, China will have in-depth communication and coordination with the joint delegation of foreign ministers of Arab and Islamic countries to promote a de-escalation of the current Palestinian-Israeli conflict, protecting civilians, and justly resolving the Palestinian issue,” Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said in a statement. Israel has vowed to destroy the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which rules Gaza, over its 7 October attacks, which the Israeli government says killed 1,200 people and saw 240 hostages taken, in the worst-ever onslaught on the country. In Gaza, the Hamas government says 12,300 have been killed in Israel’s relentless aerial bombardment and ground operations. Most of the casualties on both sides are civilians. Following the outbreak of war last month, Chinese officials including Foreign Minister Wang Yi have called for an immediate ceasefire and a “cooling down” of the situation. China has historically been sympathetic to the Palestinians and supported a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.