Xi Tells Arab Leaders Gaza War Can’t ‘Continue Indefinitely,’ Tops Up Aid

Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed Arab leaders on Thursday, emphasizing the urgency of finding “solutions to hotspot issues” and setting a model for global governance, while pledging increased financial aid for Palestinians in Gaza.

During the opening ceremony of the 10th Ministerial Conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum in Beijing, Xi underscored the ongoing suffering caused by the prolonged Palestinian-Israeli conflict. “The Middle East is a land bestowed with broad prospects for development, but the war is still raging on it,” Xi said, according to a Foreign Ministry readout. “Since last October, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has escalated drastically, throwing the people into tremendous sufferings. War should not continue indefinitely. Justice should not be absent forever.”

Xi reaffirmed China’s support for the two-state solution, calling for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. He also urged the international community not to waver in its commitment to this goal.

The conference was attended by high-profile leaders including Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Tunisian President Kais Saied, and United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Despite China’s previous warming ties with Israel, Xi reiterated Beijing’s critical stance on Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas, which resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli casualties from the October 7 raid by Hamas and around 36,000 Palestinian casualties during Israel’s response, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.

China has not condemned Hamas for its October 7 attack but has voiced strong support for the Palestinian cause, calling for an immediate ceasefire. “China firmly supports the establishment of an independent State of Palestine that enjoys full sovereignty based on the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital,” Xi told the Arab dignitaries. He also supported Palestine’s “full membership in the U.N.”

The U.S., a close ally of Israel, previously vetoed a U.N. resolution granting Palestine full membership, advocating instead for direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

Xi announced additional aid measures, including 500 million yuan ($69 million) on top of the previously provided 100 million yuan in emergency assistance for humanitarian relief and postwar reconstruction. He also pledged a $3 million donation to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

During bilateral talks with Xi on Wednesday, Egyptian President El-Sisi highlighted the need to end the Gaza war due to severe humanitarian impacts. Egypt, which shares a border with Gaza, is among the few Arab nations recognizing Israel.

A Chinese readout of the discussions indicated that El-Sisi thanked China for its “consistent commitment to justice on the Palestinian question” and expressed readiness to collaborate closely with China to de-escalate tensions in Gaza.

Xi’s address also highlighted China’s ambition to lead the Global South and increase its influence in the Middle East. He emphasized China’s commitment to an “equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization,” aiming to set an example of South-South cooperation in global governance.