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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.

“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.

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.

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/palestinians-have-right-use-armed-force-against-israel-says-china-icj

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