China, Palestine hold talks to ‘strengthen cooperation’
A high-level Palestinian delegation has met with Chinese officials in Beijing for political consultations, according to a statement posted on X by the State of Palestine.
The talks, held at China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, mark the first official Palestinian visit to China in years.
China’s ambassador, Chen Decheng, welcomed the delegation and praised what he described as President Mahmoud Abbas’s “significant role” in the peace process. He noted Beijing has provided 35 projects to Palestine so far, along with financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority and UNRWA following Israel’s military assault on Gaza.
Decheng reiterated Beijing’s “firm position” in supporting the Palestinian cause, saying China would consider all Palestinian requests – including increased financial aid for UNRWA and support for Palestine’s accession to Sinosure, China’s state export credit insurance agency.
He also reaffirmed China’s rejection of “any violations of international law” by Israel, including settlement expansion in the occupied Palestinian territory.
Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti ‘physically assaulted’ in Israeli prison
The Palestinian Asra Media Office says senior Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti suffered four broken ribs after being beaten by Israeli prison guards during a transfer between prisons in mid-September.
In a statement on Telegram, the group said Barghouti lost consciousness during the assault by a special Israeli prison unit.
“Prisoner Marwan Barghouti was physically assaulted while being transferred from Ramon Prison to Megiddo Prison in mid-September,” the statement said. “Eight members of the Israeli ‘Nahshon’ unit participated in the assault on prisoner Marwan Barghouti.”
Barghouti, one of the most prominent Palestinian political figures, has been imprisoned since 2002 and is serving five life sentences for his role in the second Intifada.
In August, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited Barghouti’s cell and was filmed threatening him.
