Publication

On October 31, 2012, China announced a four-step program to resolve the crisis in Syria. The initiative, however, does not include concrete actions and seems powerless to change the situation. The author argues, however, that while the Chinese initiative is not expected to bring the Syrian crisis any closer to a resolution, it is not to be dismissed, especially for Israel, as it demonstrates China's willingness to challenge the Western principles prevalent in international and regional politics since the end of the Cold War and expresses China's desire to play a more active role in Middle East politics.