The Chinese government deplored Thursday's bomb explosion in Jerusalem and urged an early ceasefire between Israel and Palestine, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said yesterday.
"China's position against any form of terrorism targeted at civilians is consistent," Zhang said, reacting to the blast which cliamed 16 lives.
She said the only way for Israel and Palestine to resolve their conflicts was through peaceful negotiation - and that faithful implementation of the ceasefire agreement is a prerequisite to easing the tension in the Middle East.
She appealed to both sides to show restraint to avoid a further escalation of the situation. She also called on both sides to resume negotiations.
A Palestinian suicide bomber detonated a bomb in a Jerusalem restaurant on Thursday, killing 16 people in retaliation for an Israeli missile strike.
(China Daily 08/11/2001)
