[Disclaimer: The content of this article is written with authoritative sources and personal opinions]
Text: Historical Records of Literature and Ink
Edited by Wenmo Historical Records
On the afternoon of October 15, China's Ministry of National Defense warned Israel by name that this was not only a diplomatic statement, but also a strong response to the recent situation in the Middle East.
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Against the backdrop of the intensifying Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the situation of Chinese peacekeepers in Lebanon has become more and more dangerous, and Israel's actions in this area have become more aggressive, and even directly threaten the security of the United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon.
However, at the critical moment, Israel Foreign Minister Katz took the initiative to call Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to explain Israel's position and concerns to the Chinese side, which hides Israel's deep anxiety about China's attitude and the strong condemnation of its military action by international public opinion.
As the Israeli-Palestinian conflict intensifies, the United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon has become the target of public criticism, especially the 410 Chinese peacekeepers stationed in China, who are facing unprecedented challenges.
Israel's repeated tentative attacks on peacekeeping forces in an attempt to reduce UNIFIL's space by force were not only the "aftermath" of the war, but also Israel's planned strategic arrangements.
It is reported that as early as September 19, Israel detonated an aerial bomb near the camp of the Chinese peacekeeping force, and the explosion site was only 700 meters away from the Chinese camp. And after that, Israel's actions became more brazen.
On 10, 11 and 13 October, Israel launched successive attacks, and even sent tanks directly into UNIFIL positions on 13 October, a series of actions that showed that Israel was gradually reducing the space for the United Nations peacekeeping force to operate through the "sausage-cutting" tactic, and eventually forced it to withdraw from Lebanon.
Why does Israel dare to attack UN peacekeepers so brazenly? The reason is not complicated.
The presence of the UN peacekeeping force has made Israel's military operations in Lebanon subject to both international law and public opinion, and it does not dare to carry out a full-scale military operation as in Gaza, because every step may be recorded and become the material for discussion in the UN Security Council.
Therefore, getting rid of the influence of the peacekeeping forces, especially the more than 400 Chinese officers and soldiers, has become a key step in Israel's military plan.
On the afternoon of 15 October, Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, made it clear that China expressed grave concern and strong condemnation of Israel Israel's attack on UNIFIL, and that China not only demand a thorough investigation into the attack, but also demand that those responsible be held accountable and ensure the safety of peacekeepers.
More importantly, China has stated that it will take measures to further improve the security and defense capabilities of its peacekeeping forces, which means that the equipment and defense capabilities of Chinese peacekeepers may be significantly improved in the future, and China will not sit idly by in the face of Israel's threat.
The tough statement came a day after Israel's Foreign Minister Katz took the initiative to call Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, a call that was seen as an important signal of Israel's attempts to ease relations with China. Why did Katz contact China at this point in time? This is because Israel realizes that its actions have crossed China's red lines.
China has always maintained neutrality and impartiality on the Middle East issue, although it does not directly participate in the geopolitical competition in the Middle East, its attitude has considerable influence in the United Nations, and Israel is well aware that losing China's support or neutrality may make it more passive in international public opinion, and even affect the support of United States and other allies.
After all, as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, China's position can often influence some key decisions, especially when it comes to peacekeeping forces.
In addition, Israel understands that China's diplomatic influence in the Middle East is growing, especially as China's economic and political ties with Saudi Arabia, Iran and other countries deepen, if Israel continues to act recklessly in southern Lebanon, it may not only trigger a strong reaction from China, but also indirectly affect its overall diplomatic layout in the Middle East.
Therefore, Israel needs to explain its actions to China as soon as possible, show that it has no malicious intentions, and hope to gain some diplomatic respite.
After all, China's attitude has a lot of influence on the Middle East issue, especially within the framework of the UN.
In addition, Israel is aware that its military operations have threatened the safety of Chinese peacekeepers, who have 410 peacekeepers in Lebanon, who are increasingly vulnerable to frequent attacks by Israel.
Israel clearly does not want a head-on conflict with China, so it must explain its actions to the Chinese side in advance and make certain commitments to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
Israel wants to maintain its diplomatic balance in the Middle East through dialogue with China, and while Israel is at odds with the "arc of resistance" such as Iran and Allah, it also needs to establish normal diplomatic relations with countries such as Saudi Arabia, in which China has significant influence.
Therefore, it is necessary for Israel to maintain dialogue with China to ensure that its diplomatic strategy in the Middle East can move forward smoothly.
During the call, Foreign Minister Wang Yi did not shy away from the current tensions, but made three clear demands to Israel. First of all, China's demand for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages, and the smooth flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has always been the focus of attention of the international community, and China's demand is not only in line with the mainstream voice of international public opinion, but also expresses China's deep concern about the development of the situation.
China calls on Israel to take concrete measures to ensure the security of the United Nations peacekeeping force, whose presence is an important force for maintaining stability in Lebanon, and Israel's attacks have seriously threatened the existence of this force.
China has made it clear that the peacekeeping force is carrying out its mandate under the mandate of the United Nations Security Council, that any attack on it is unacceptable, and that Israel must immediately cease its attacks on the peacekeeping force and take effective measures to ensure the safety of UNIFIL personnel and assets.
Finally, China demands that Israel guarantee the security of its institutions and citizens in Israel, which has a large number of personnel and institutions in both Israel and Lebanon, and the security of these personnel and institutions is also an important concern of China.
Israel's military operations have posed a potential threat to Chinese personnel, and Foreign Minister Wang Yi explicitly asked Israel to take measures to ensure that the safety of Chinese personnel is not violated.
At the end of the call, Foreign Minister Wang Yi also mentioned that China maintains continuity and stability in its policy toward Israel and is willing to resume exchanges with Israel as soon as possible after the situation eases. Whatever the reason, Israel should stop in moderation and avoid pushing the situation to the brink of uncontrollability.
On the whole, the performance of Sino-Israeli relations in this Palestinian-Israeli conflict is very delicate, and China, as an international power, maintains a neutral and fair position on the Middle East issue, which makes China's attitude an important reference for Israel.
This series of tough statements has made Israel understand that China will not compromise on this issue, and as China takes steps to upgrade the defense capabilities of its peacekeeping forces, the situation may become more complicated, and whether Israel will rein in as a result remains to be seen.
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"Ministry of Defense: China strongly condemns! - Released by the Ministry of Defense 2024-10-15 17:19:50
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