China Urges The World To Accelerate Finding Israeli-Palestinian Solutions

Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, photographed on April 29, 2013. (Boubakar/Pixabay via Wikipedia Commons)

JAKARTA - China urged the world to take concrete steps in accelerating solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict following attacks and attacks by Israeli troops at the Al Aqsa Mosque in the occupied region of East Jerusalem.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning told a news conference in Beijing on Thursday that China is deeply concerned about the widespread Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

"We call on all parties, especially Israel, to be calm and restrained and immediately stop all words and actions that increase tensions," Mao said on China's Foreign Ministry website, quoted by Antara, Friday.

Mao said that Jerusalem's status was a complicated and sensitive issue.

China urges related parties to act in accordance with the United Nations resolution and respect and maintain the status quo of the holy places in Jerusalem.

"The international community needs to act as soon as possible and take concrete steps to accelerate the two-state solution," Mao said.

Anadolu news agency reported that tensions in the West Bank continued to rise on Wednesday after Israeli police detained about 350 worshipers from inside the Al Aqsa Mosque compound.

Israeli police surrounded the Al-Qibbli Mosque prayer room and climbed the roof of the mosque, shattered windows, and used sound cannons against the congregation inside. Meanwhile, other worshipers at the mosque tried to fight the police by throwing fireworks.

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan, Indonesia, Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, Britain, Russia, and the European Union condemned these atrocities and demanded the deescalation of the conflict.

Israeli troops and Jewish settlers attack and storm the Al Aqsa Mosque quite often to provoke Palestinians.

For Muslims, Al Aqsa is the holiest site, while Jews call the site a Temple Mount.