Senior Colonel Zhou Bo (ret.), senior fellow at Tsinghua University’s Center for International Security and Strategy and a China Forum expert, gave an interview to Sputnik on the conflict between Palestine and Israel.

China maintains friendly relations with both Palestine and Israel, and has always held a neutral and impartial stance on the Palestine-Israel issue. It is concerned about the safety of the people on both sides. It is imperative now that the two sides cease fire and respond to the humanitarian crisis, said Zhou. China also maintains such a position in the UN Security Council.

Many countries and organizations are providing good offices, and China can also play a unique role. However, Zhou believes that given the current situation in the Middle East, it is not realistic to achieve “common security and lasting peace” in the short term, but it is a principle and a path for the future. The two-state solution is supported by China, the US and Russia, but it is difficult to implement due to opposition in Israel and Palestine; yet it is the best answer for now.

Zhou added that “common security and lasting peace” is a goal for humanity that cannot be forsaken despite temporary pains. If the Palestinians do not have a homeland of their own, he said, then the Israelis will also live in a perpetual fear of war. Therefore, “common security and lasting peace” should be the aspiration not only of the Palestinians but also of the Israelis, and we should push forward towards it with perseverance, acknowledging how difficult this might be.

（This article was first published in Sputnik on October 30, 2023.）