Beijing: China on Thursday opposed Israel's new illegal settlements and new rules aimed at strengthening control on the occupied West Bank, according to state-run media. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated that Gaza and the West Bank are "inseparable" parts of the Palestinian territory, emphasizing that the two-state solution is the fundamental way to resolve the Palestinian question, Global Times reported.

According to Anadolu Agency, Lin remarked that China has consistently opposed the construction of new settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory and all attempts to annex or encroach upon Palestinian territory, which undermine the political foundation of the two-state solution. He urged relevant parties to avoid actions that could intensify contradictions or escalate tensions, noting the fragility of the current situation in Gaza.

Lin's comments followed the announcement that Israel's Security Cabinet approved measures aimed at expanding illegal settlement building and increasing Tel Aviv's control of the occupied West Bank. These decisions include repealing a law that barred the sale of land in the West Bank to illegal Israeli settlers, unsealing land ownership records, and shifting authority for building permits in a settlement bloc near Hebron from a Palestinian municipality to Israel's civil administration.