Chinese foreign minister calls for 'immediate, complete and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages'
In a phone conversation with Chinese Minister Wang Yi on Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz told him that Iran is a threat to the Middle East and the entire world, according to a foreign ministry spokesperson.
The call marked the first time Yi had spoken to an Israeli official since October 2023.
“We expect that China will express a balanced and fair position in relation to the war that was imposed on Israel,” Katz's spokesman said, adding that it “accurately reflects who are terrorist elements in our region and who is the state that protects itself against attacks by those terrorists.”
The two ministers discussed the importance of Chinese-Israeli economic relations and “agreed to continue the relationship and work together to strengthen the ties between the countries based on the long-standing friendship between the Jewish people and the Chinese people.”
In a separate statement from the Chinese news agency Xinhua, Yi told Katz that “humanitarian disasters in Gaza should not continue and… countering violence with violence cannot truly address the legitimate concerns of all parties.”
“The Chinese side believes that renewed conflict and turmoil in the region serves the interests of no one,” Yi added.
China also “hopes that all parties will act cautiously to avoid falling into a vicious circle amid tension between Israel and Iran,” the Chinese media outlet reported.
Yi called for an “immediate, complete and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages.”
The Chinese minister urged Israel to ensure the safety of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), according to a Foreign Ministry statement.
Katz said that during the call with Yi, he "clarified that Iran is the primary source for undermining stability in the Middle East" and presents a direct threat through its proxies, including Hamas and Hezbollah and the Houthis.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
