China is seriously concerned about the latest violent conflict between Israel and Palestine, said a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Monday.
In response to a question, spokesman Zhu Bangzao said China is seriously concerned that on July 29, an Israeli religious group held a cornerstone-laying ceremony for a Jewish temple in Jerusalem, setting off a violent conflict between Israel and Palestine.
Zhu said Jerusalem is the holy site of Islam, Judaism and Christianity, and its belonging is a major and sensitive issue in the Israeli-Palestinian talks, which should be solved through negotiations in accordance with relevant resolutions of the United Nations.
China hopes that the parties concerned would actively cooperate with the efforts of the international community and avoid unilateral actions so as to create an appropriate atmosphere for ending Israeli-Palestinian conflicts as soon as possible and resuming peace talks, Zhu said.
(Xinhua News Agency 07/31/2001)
