Fatah, Hamas agree to unity government in post-war Gaza, deal brokered by Beijing

 

On Tuesday, 14 Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Fatah, signed a China-brokered agreement to govern Gaza together after the current conflict ends. The "Beijing Declaration on Ending Division and Strengthening Palestinian National Unity" emerged from three days of negotiations in the Chinese capital, highlighting China's increasing role in West Asian diplomacy.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, speaking at the closing ceremony, detailed the agreement’s provisions. "The most significant outcomes include clarifying that the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) remains the sole legitimate representative of all Palestinians. A key aspect is the formation of a temporary national reconciliation government to manage Gaza post-war. The ultimate goal is to establish a genuinely independent Palestinian state in line with relevant UN resolutions," Wang stated.

The deal marks a notable attempt to bridge the longstanding divide between Fatah, which governs the West Bank, and Hamas, which controls Gaza. The factions have been in conflict since 2006, struggling for global representation of the Palestinian cause.

In response, Israel has rejected the reconciliation effort. Foreign Minister Israel Katz criticized the agreement on X, stating, “Hamas and Fatah’s deal in China to jointly control Gaza post-war is an endorsement of terrorism. Mahmoud Abbas’s alliance with Hamas only reveals his true intentions. Israel’s security will remain firmly in its own hands.”

Mahmoud Abbas, president of the State of Palestine and PLO chairman, is part of Fatah.

Beijing has proposed a “three-step approach” to address the Palestinian conflict. Wang Yi explained:

Achieve a comprehensive, lasting ceasefire in Gaza and ensure the smooth delivery of humanitarian aid.

Support the principle of “Palestinians governing Palestine” and promote effective post-war governance in Gaza.

Facilitate Palestine’s full membership in the United Nations and advance the “two-state solution.”

Representatives from the 14 factions and China, along with delegations from Egypt, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Russia, and Turkey, attended the talks. This initiative follows a previous attempt by China to unify Palestinian factions, which ended without a final consensus.

China has increasingly acted as a mediator in West Asia, notably brokering a deal in March 2023 that restored relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran after a years-long freeze.

Fatah, a leading faction of the PLO recognized as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people since 1974, contrasts with Hamas, which the US, UK, EU, and Israel label as a terrorist organization.

In the 2006 legislative elections, Hamas won a majority in the Palestinian National Authority, while Fatah secured fewer seats. This led to tensions and eventual division, with Hamas controlling Gaza and Fatah governing the West Bank.

The current conflict began with a Hamas attack on Israel last October, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,150 Israelis and the abduction of around 250 hostages. Israel’s retaliatory strikes have caused significant casualties and damage in Gaza, with over 39,000 Palestinians reported dead.

Approximately 120 hostages, dead or alive, remain with Hamas. Last week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken indicated that a ceasefire between Tel Aviv and Hamas might soon be finalized.