China's ambassador in Israel Chan Yang Lang has been summoned to the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem to a meeting, told of Israel's strong objection against Beijing's invitation of Hamas Foreign Minister Mahmoud al-Zahar to China.
The Foreign Ministry said that China was legitimizing the terrorist government of Hamas and is standing in opposition to demands made by the international community. It also said that Chinese-Israeli relations would be harmed should the visit take place, as well as China's role as a responsible player in the Middle East. The message was delivered by Rafi Shutz, Deputy Director-General for Coordination in the Foreign Ministry.
Shutz also told the Chinese ambassador that China could change its decision over the matter, and that it should do so for the sake of an essential future for the Middle East.
He added that Israel could not accept a situation in which diplomats living in its territory and who submitted a letter of good faith to the president carry connections with terror sources. "Israel expects the Chinese government, like other governments, to act accordingly," he said.
At the end of the difficult meeting, Shutz passed the ambassador a document containing a diplomatic documents containing text with the message said during the meeting.
On Wednesday, tension between China and Israel began, when the Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar was invited to take part in a Sino-Arab forum taking place in May in Being.