Israel's recent decision to authorize a military takeover of Gaza City under the banner of "defeating Hamas" has once again pushed the Middle East toward the brink. With Israeli forces already encircling the northern Gaza Strip in preparation for the takeover, the situation in the Middle East is moving in an increasingly dangerous direction.
In recent weeks, the Middle East, situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean, Black, Caspian, Red, and Arabian Seas, and bridging Asia, Africa, and Europe, has faced mounting security alarms, sparking deep concern across the international community. Waves of escalating conflicts, unrelenting airstrikes, and direct confrontations threaten to drive the situation further out of control, with the risk of igniting a broader regional war.
The international community must soberly recognize that military intervention only deepens insecurity, and reliance on force only compounds instability. Genuine peace in the Middle East can only be achieved through political solutions, not battlefield victories.
Some media outlets have described today's Middle East as an arena where "might makes right." This view, which glorifies "peace through strength," is grounded entirely in the logic of power politics. Elevating coercive deterrence above international rules and norms is tantamount to pouring oil on fire, serving only to heighten the risk of war. Strength alone cannot deliver lasting peace; when power becomes the sole yardstick of right and wrong, international order and justice will be inevitably swept away.
Instability in the Middle East threatens global stability. The region cannot remain forever under the shadow of conflict; its people deserve a future free from fear. To restore peace and stability, political dialogue is the only path forward.
At the heart of regional tensions lies the Palestinian question. The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza must not be allowed to worsen, the legitimate aspirations of the Arab people must be addressed without delay, and the voices of justice across the Islamic world cannot be ignored. The two-state solution remains the only realistic way forward. The establishment of an independent state of Palestine that enjoys full sovereignty on the basis of the 1967 borders and with east Jerusalem as its capital is the only path to peaceful coexistence between Palestine and Israel and to eliminating the root causes of regional tension.
The Iranian nuclear issue provides another reminder of the necessity of dialogue. Once a potential example of resolving disputes through negotiation, it was derailed by the unilateral withdrawal of a major country from the nuclear agreement and the subsequent policy of maximum pressure. That strategy closed the door to compromise and revived confrontation.
While Israel and Iran have reached a ceasefire arrangement, the underlying tensions remain unresolved. Persistent reliance on sanctions and threats by some Western countries has only aggravated the situation, highlighting the shortcomings of their approach to security governance.
The Israel-Iran ceasefire must be fully and effectively implemented. All parties to the conflict should act with the highest sense of responsibility, creating conditions for further dialogue and an outcome acceptable to all. Iran's commitment not to pursue nuclear weapons should be taken seriously, and its right under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to the peaceful use of nuclear energy should be respected. The international community should work together to foster an environment conducive to negotiation.
Protecting civilian lives must remain the foremost priority. The conflict in Gaza has dragged on for 21 months, pushing humanitarian conditions to unprecedented levels of deterioration. All parties must strictly comply with international law, prioritize civilian welfare, end attacks on civilian targets, and facilitate the evacuation of third-country nationals. The international community, through UN humanitarian agencies, should increase assistance to conflict-affected areas in the region, while countries with significant influence over the parties should adopt an impartial and responsible stance, playing a genuinely constructive role rather than pursuing narrow agendas.
Dialogue and communication remain the only viable path to lasting peace. Standing at the crossroads of peace and conflict, the future direction of the Middle East tests the conscience and responsibility of all parties. China's position on Middle East issues has been consistent: upholding fairness and justice, and advocating common security. The international community, especially major countries with significant influence, should abandon geopolitical calculations, take concrete actions, support the UN in playing a coordinating role, and work together to build a balanced and orderly regional security framework conducive to peace.
(Pei Guangjiang and Huan Xiang are senior editor and international affairs commentator of the International News Department of People's Daily, respectively.)
近日，以色列安全内阁批准接管加沙城并同时“击败哈马斯”的军事计划。以军目前已控制位于加沙地带北部的加沙城外围，为接管加沙城作军事准备。中东局势正持续向更加危险的方向发展。
近一段时间以来，中东这个“五海三洲”之地安全警报持续拉响，引发国际社会对地区安全局势的深度担忧。冲突矛盾轮番升级，军事打击、直接对抗无所忌惮，导致局势可能进一步失控，甚至引发更大范围的地区冲突。国际社会必须清醒地认识到，军事干预只会加重安全赤字，滥施武力只会引发更大冲突，唯有坚持政治解决，才能真正打破中东的暴力循环。
有媒体认为，中东正在进入一个新的时代，其特征越来越多地体现在“强权即是公理”的假设上。这种鼓吹“先有实力后有和平”的观点背后完全是强权逻辑，将实力威慑的对抗性思维凌驾于国际规则与公理之上，无异于以油灭火，徒增战争风险。实力带不来真正的和平，仅凭实力判断对错，国际规则与公理将荡然无存。
中东不稳，天下难安。中东不能永远处于冲突的阴影下，中东人民应该拥有免于恐惧的未来。恢复中东地区和平稳定，政治对话是唯一途径。
巴勒斯坦问题作为地区矛盾的核心不容忽视。加沙的人道主义灾难不能继续，阿拉伯民族的正当诉求必须尽快兑现，广大伊斯兰世界的正义声音应得到重视。“两国方案”是解决巴勒斯坦问题的唯一现实出路，建立以1967年边界为基础、以东耶路撒冷为首都、拥有完全主权的独立的巴勒斯坦国，最终实现巴以和平共处，才能消除地区紧张的深层根源。
伊核问题必须重回对话轨道。伊核问题本可以成为通过对话协商解决国际纷争的范例，但个别大国单方面退出伊核协议，并对伊朗极限施压，和平的大门最终未能推开，局势重新走向对抗。目前，以色列和伊朗虽达成停火安排，但问题远未解决。一些西方国家又搬出制裁威胁的老一套，加剧紧张对立。分析人士认为，围绕伊朗核问题出现的僵局，反映出西方安全治理理念的失败。
以伊停火必须得到切实有效落实。冲突各方必须以高度的责任感严格遵守停火承诺，为后续对话创造稳定环境，最终达成各方均可接受的协议。伊方不寻求发展核武器的承诺应当重视，伊朗作为《不扩散核武器条约》缔约国享有的和平利用核能权利应该尊重。国际社会应共同努力，为谈判创造有利条件。
保障平民安全是重中之重。加沙冲突已延宕21个月，人道局势恶化程度前所未有。冲突各方应严格遵守国际法，以民众福祉为重，杜绝针对民用目标的袭击，并为第三方公民撤离提供便利。国际社会应通过联合国人道机构，加大对中东受冲突影响地区的援助力度。对当事方有重要影响力的国家，应当秉持公正负责任态度，真正发挥积极和建设性作用。
沟通对话是实现持久和平的正确路径。站在和平与冲突的十字路口，中东局势走向何方，拷问着各方的良知与担当。中国在中东问题上的立场一以贯之：坚持公平正义，倡导共同安全。国际社会特别是有影响力的大国，应摒弃地缘算计，拿出实际行动，支持联合国发挥协调作用，为和平创造条件，共同构建均衡有序的地区安全架构。
（作者分别为人民日报社国际部高级编辑、国际问题评论员）
