ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA – The rival Hamas and Fatah, as well as other 12 Palestinian groups, have signed an agreement on “ending division and strengthening Palestinian unity” in Beijing, Chinese media reported on July 23.
Fourteen Palestinian organizations have signed the Beijing Declaration on forming a unity government in the Gaza Strip and West Bank in the aftermath of the China-brokered talks, which took place on July 21-23.
“The last round of a negotiation between Fatah and Hamas to reconcile their differences and to go for a full internal reconciliation in Beijing is important,” Ayman Yousef, a professor in political sciences and international relations at the Arab-American University in Palestine, told Sputnik.
The pundit noted that the development is taking place, “with the permission and approval of the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas.”
Hamas and Fatah, the two major Palestinian political parties, have been at odds since Hamas’ legislative victory in the Gaza Strip in 2006 which led to internal skirmishes and the subsequent expulsion of Fatah from the region in 2007.
Palestinians have taken a step in the right direction by activating their political system from within amid Israel’s Gaza war and ethnic cleansing in the strip, according to Yousef.
The pundit singled out China as a new diplomatic force that stepped in as the US, Israel, Egypt and Qatar are still struggling to strike a ceasefire deal and come up with a plan for the political management of post-war Gaza.
Earlier, the US insisted that the Palestinian Authority (PA) should take the reins of the strip after Israel’s “victory” over Hamas, whereas Tel Aviv opposed placing the PA at the helm of the region. It appears that the Hamas-Fatah reconciliation is a sign that Palestinians are willing to choose their political future themselves while seeing China as a trustworthy mediator, as per the expert.
“Why is China active this time? Because I think it has good relations with both Fatah and Hamas. It has influence over both of them,” Yousef said. “China is trying to play a crucial role, not only in putting the Palestinians face to face around one table, but also to be more active in the whole of the Middle East and in the theater of the Palestine-Israel conflict.”
It’s not the first time that Beijing has played the role of the regional peace broker: in March 2023, top Iranian and Saudi security officials met in Beijing to restore diplomatic ties after years of tensions.
Unsurprisingly, Israel subjected the Palestinian agreement to criticism, vowing to eliminate Hamas. The US press rushed to downplay the China-brokered deal between Hamas and Fatah, claiming that the plan is lacking a clear roadmap.
The signing of the Beijing Declaration is a historic moment that will promote reconciliation within Palestine, stated Musa Abu Marzouk, the head of the Hamas delegation, during the summit. He stressed the importance of implementing the plan to “create an independent state of Palestine with its capital in Jerusalem.” (Sputnik/AT Network)
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