In just two years, China has facilitated a breakthrough deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran; and Fatah and Hamas. Over time, that could pave the way to peace in the Middle East, after decades of unwarranted violence – including the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
On July 23, 14 Palestinian factions including rivals Hamas and Fatah agreed to end their divisions and form an interim national unity government, thanks to Beijing’s intermediation (Figure 1).
After a breakthrough deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran, it is China’s second major contribution to peace in the Middle East. In the past, Egypt and other Arab countries have tried but failed to reconcile the two leading factions.
The Beijing meeting took place in tandem with efforts by international mediators to achieve a ceasefire deal in Israel’s Gaza War, in which nearly 40,000 Palestinians have been killed and some 2 million people displaced, with the International Criminal Court considering charging Israeli leaders for genocide. And United States cannot avoid complicity in this catastrophe, due to continued massive American military aid and financing, which has made it possible.
Thanks to the Beijing Declaration, Palestinians are now in a position to heal and unify their ranks, if the national unity government prevails. That is seen as a threat by the Netanyahu war cabinet, which is perhaps one reason why the political leader of Hamas Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated just days after the Beijing agreement.
Hellbound and Down 