Israel says China’s support for Palestinian ‘right to self-defence’ may be seen as support for October 7 attack

China told Hague court Palestinians have a right to self-determination ‘by all available means, including armed struggle’ – to the dissatisfaction of Israelis

‘China should ask itself why the Hamas terrorist organisation was so quick to praise the words of the Chinese legal adviser’: Israeli spokesman

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On February 22, Ma Xinmin makes a statement before the International Court of Justice on behalf of China, relating to the request for an advisory opinion on the issue of occupied Palestinian territory. Photo: FMPRC

Published: 6:18pm, 27 Feb 2024Updated: 6:44pm, 27 Feb 2024

Israel’s foreign ministry has said China’s recent statements of support for Palestinian self-determination could be interpreted as support for Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7.

The Israeli government responded on Monday to China’s comments at an International Court of Justice (ICJ) hearing on Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories.

At the hearing, China’s representative Ma Xinmin cited the United Nations Charter and previous UN resolutions in a statement in support of the Palestinian right to self-determination, saying that “numerous [UN General Assembly] resolutions recognise the legitimacy of struggling by all available means, including armed struggle”.

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“The Palestinian-Israeli conflict stems from Israel’s prolonged occupation of Palestinian territory and Israel’s long-standing oppression of the Palestinian people,” Ma said.

“The Palestinian people fight against Israeli oppression, and their struggle for completing the establishment of an independent State on the occupied territories are, essentially, just actions for restoring their legitimate rights. The right to self-determination serves as the precise legal foundation for their struggle.”

Ma said struggles for self-determination “should not be considered terror acts,” but that during armed struggle “all parties are obliged to comply with international humanitarian law and, in particular, to refrain from committing acts of terrorism in violation of international humanitarian law”.

Hamas on Friday responded to China’s statement in a Telegram channel. According to The Jerusalem Post it said: “We also appreciate the position expressed by the People’s Republic of China, and its emphasis on the legality of the occupied peoples’ pursuit of self-determination, by various means, including armed resistance, and the necessity not to confuse terrorism with the armed struggle practised by the Palestinian people against the Zionist occupation.”