The Palestinian factions, Hamas and Fatah, have been gathering in Beijing since Saturday for a reconciliation meeting. The Hamas delegation was supposed to be led by Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the organization’s Political Bureau, but at the last moment he was replaced by another member of the Political Bureau, Mousa Abu Marzook. Fatah also settled for Abu Mazen’s deputy, Mahmoud al-Aloul. This is the second meeting between the parties in the Chinese capital, after a previous meeting held last April was not successful, at least not for the Palestinian side. The Chinese side, in contrast, noted with satisfaction that the parties agreed to the “Chinese way” of solving problems.
Since April, the disagreements between Hamas and Fatah have intensified even more, when Abu Mazen accused Hamas of unnecessarily prolonging the war at the expense of the suffering of the Palestinian people, who serve as human shields. The follow-up meeting that was planned to take place in June in Beijing was cancelled, and each side accused the other for it. Such conduct could be interpreted in China as an insult to the Chinese government. It was not for nothing that spokespersons from both movements immediately reiterated their commitment to the efforts of “our friends in China to achieve Palestinian national unity,” as a Hamas representative said. Fatah stated that they have “great appreciation” for the Chinese effort, and that they are working to create “the appropriate climate for the success of Chinese mediation, which is valued and respected.”
However, apparently the Palestinian terrorist organization did not sufficiently internalize the importance of maintaining the honor of the host, since on Monday it became clear, according to Palestinian sources, that Hamas refused to hold bilateral talks with Fatah, and it is unclear whether the follow-up meetings planned between the parties will take place. The Chinese, in contrast, most likely already understood with whom they were dealing, and that is why the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in China refused to elaborate on the details of the reconciliation summit, which took place under an impressive blackout, saying only that “China will publish information when it is appropriate.” Another twist in the plot was recorded at the end of the summit when the Palestinian factions issued the “Beijing Declaration” according to which they agreed to “unify national efforts to confront the aggression and stop the genocide” and “establish a temporary government of national unity.”
Despite the statement, the road to reconciliation between the conflicting parties is long; in the meantime, however, Israel loses by the very existence of the talks between them. The meetings in Beijing, along with China’s support at the UN, provide Hamas with legitimacy, which will make it difficult for Israel to reach some kind of settlement “the day after” in Gaza without the organization’s involvement. Legitimizing Hamas is a red line for Israel, and it must not remain silent about it. Israel can and should express its displeasure along the accepted channels when China acts clearly against a core Israeli interest.
The Palestinian factions, Hamas and Fatah, have been gathering in Beijing since Saturday for a reconciliation meeting. The Hamas delegation was supposed to be led by Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the organization’s Political Bureau, but at the last moment he was replaced by another member of the Political Bureau, Mousa Abu Marzook. Fatah also settled for Abu Mazen’s deputy, Mahmoud al-Aloul. This is the second meeting between the parties in the Chinese capital, after a previous meeting held last April was not successful, at least not for the Palestinian side. The Chinese side, in contrast, noted with satisfaction that the parties agreed to the “Chinese way” of solving problems.
Since April, the disagreements between Hamas and Fatah have intensified even more, when Abu Mazen accused Hamas of unnecessarily prolonging the war at the expense of the suffering of the Palestinian people, who serve as human shields. The follow-up meeting that was planned to take place in June in Beijing was cancelled, and each side accused the other for it. Such conduct could be interpreted in China as an insult to the Chinese government. It was not for nothing that spokespersons from both movements immediately reiterated their commitment to the efforts of “our friends in China to achieve Palestinian national unity,” as a Hamas representative said. Fatah stated that they have “great appreciation” for the Chinese effort, and that they are working to create “the appropriate climate for the success of Chinese mediation, which is valued and respected.”
However, apparently the Palestinian terrorist organization did not sufficiently internalize the importance of maintaining the honor of the host, since on Monday it became clear, according to Palestinian sources, that Hamas refused to hold bilateral talks with Fatah, and it is unclear whether the follow-up meetings planned between the parties will take place. The Chinese, in contrast, most likely already understood with whom they were dealing, and that is why the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in China refused to elaborate on the details of the reconciliation summit, which took place under an impressive blackout, saying only that “China will publish information when it is appropriate.” Another twist in the plot was recorded at the end of the summit when the Palestinian factions issued the “Beijing Declaration” according to which they agreed to “unify national efforts to confront the aggression and stop the genocide” and “establish a temporary government of national unity.”
Despite the statement, the road to reconciliation between the conflicting parties is long; in the meantime, however, Israel loses by the very existence of the talks between them. The meetings in Beijing, along with China’s support at the UN, provide Hamas with legitimacy, which will make it difficult for Israel to reach some kind of settlement “the day after” in Gaza without the organization’s involvement. Legitimizing Hamas is a red line for Israel, and it must not remain silent about it. Israel can and should express its displeasure along the accepted channels when China acts clearly against a core Israeli interest.