Beijing working to narrow Israeli-Palestinian divide

The two-day peace symposium for representatives from Israel and Palestine that started in Beijing on Thursday couldn't have come at a more timely moment given US President Donald Trump's decision to ignore UN resolutions and unilaterally recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on Dec 6.

That decision has basically invalidated Washington playing the role of peace broker in the region, and made it imperative that someone step into the breach by assuming that role.

The fact that China maintains close relations with both Israel and Palestine and has long advocated greater efforts to resolve their differences means it is well-positioned as a well-intentioned interlocutor to assume the role of mediator.