In response to the ongoing violence of the last two days, both Cuba and the People's Republic of China have issued statements calling for a lasting peace between the Palestinians and Israel based on meaningful negotiations and an independent Palestinian state.
The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued the following statement (translated from the Spanish):
The Republic of Cuba expresses grave concern at the escalation of violence between Israel and Palestine, which is the result of 75 years of permanent violation of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and Israel's aggressive and expansionist policy.
Cuba demands a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, based on the creation of two States, which will allow the Palestinian people to exercise their right to self-determination and to have an independent and sovereign State within the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The United Nations Security Council must fulfil its mandate and put an end to the impunity of Israel, the occupying power, with which the United States has historically been complicit by repeatedly obstructing the body's action, undermining peace, security and stability in the Middle East.
Cuba calls for peace and the search for a solution through negotiation that avoids further escalation of a conflict that has already cost the lives of tens of thousands of people.
Meanwhile the Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson stated:
China is deeply concerned over the current escalation of tensions and violence between Palestine and Israel. We call on relevant parties to remain calm, exercise restraint and immediately end the hostilities to protect civilians and avoid further deterioration of the situation.
The recurrence of the conflict shows once again that the protracted standstill of the peace process cannot go on. The fundamental way out of the conflict lies in implementing the two-state solution and establishing an independent State of Palestine. The international community needs to act with greater urgency, step up input into the Palestine question, facilitate the early resumption of peace talks between Palestine and Israel, and find a way to bring about enduring peace. China will continue to work relentlessly with the international community towards that end.