China tells ICJ: Palestinians have the right to use 'armed force' against Israel
China has backed the right of the Palestinian people to use armed force to combat Israel's occupation of their land, calling it an "an inalienable right well founded in international law".
The comments on Thursday were made by the Chinese ambassador to the UN, Zhang Jun, during the fourth day of public hearings held by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, Netherlands.
Representatives of 52 countries are addressing the ICJ on Israel's decades-long occupation of Palestinian land.
Beijing’s envoy said there were “various people (who) freed themselves from colonial rule” and they could use “all available means, including armed struggle”.
He described the Palestinian use of armed resistance as legitimate and not an act of terrorism.
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“The struggle waged by peoples for their liberation, right to self-determination, including armed struggle against colonialism, occupation, aggression, domination against foreign forces should not be considered terror acts,” Zhang Jun told the court.
'The struggle waged by peoples for their liberation, right to self-determination, including armed struggle against colonialism, occupation, aggression, domination against foreign forces should not be considered terror acts'
- Zhang Jun, China's UN ambassador
In his speech, Jun criticised Israeli policies, characterising them as “oppression that has severely undermined and impeded the exercises and full realisation of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination".
The ICJ’s public hearings, which will be held until 26 February, come after a UN General Assembly resolution requesting an ICJ advisory opinion.
The number of states participating in the oral proceedings is the highest of any case since the ICJ's establishment in 1945 and is separate to the more publicised genocide case brought by South Africa.
A panel of 15 judges are expected to take about six months to deliberate before issuing an advisory opinion.
Besides China, other countries scheduled to participate in the hearings include Hungary, France, South Africa and Egypt.
International bodies, including the Arab League, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the African Union will also take part.
Israel will not participate but has sent written observations to the court.
This article is available in French on Middle East Eye French edition.
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