Rival Palestinian groups Hamas and Fatah have recently held talks in Beijing, seeking reconciliation through dialogue. Amid tensions between the United States and China, analysts view China’s move as aiming to counterbalance American efforts for peace in the Middle East.
Hamas is the terrorist group that has controlled Gaza since 2006, while Fatah is the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) which controls the Palestinian territories in the West Bank. On Oct. 7 last year, Hamas launched a brutal terrorist attack on Israel that led to the massacre of about 1,200 people, while hundreds more were taken hostage.
On April 30, Chinese Communist Party (CCP) spokesperson Lin Jian said at a press conference that, at China’s invitation, representatives from both Fatah and Hamas recently visited Beijing to engage in dialogue to advance intra-Palestinian reconciliation. He noted positive progress in the negotiations, with both sides agreeing to continue the dialogue process. He also said that both sides expressed gratitude for China’s efforts.
US Efforts
Meanwhile, after concluding his visit to Beijing, Secretary of State Antony Blinken flew to Saudi Arabia on April 29, commencing his seventh visit to the region since the Hamas terrorist attack on Oct.7, 2023. The purpose was to push for diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.In Riyadh, Mr. Blinken said that the only obstacle to a ceasefire in Gaza is Hamas, noting Israel’s ceasefire proposal aimed at the return of some of the hostages held by Hamas. Currently, achieving a ceasefire and restoring peace in the Middle East is a top priority for the Biden administration.
“In this moment, the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a cease-fire is Hamas,” he said. “They have to decide, and they have to decide quickly.”
CCP’s Support for Palestine
Regarding China’s actions, U.S.-based China affairs commentator Tang Jinyuan told The Epoch Times that the CCP has supported Hamas since the start of the conflict to challenge America’s efforts in the Middle East.“As the Gaza conflict nears its end and Hamas effectively loses control of Gaza, whether the [terrorist] group can survive is a question,” he said. “China’s diplomatic intervention at this time is a statement that China politically supports Hamas and does not want Israel to completely eliminate Hamas.”
On March 17, China’s special envoy Wang Kejian met with the Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Qatar. He told the Hamas leader that China would push for a “quick cessation of hostilities” and work towards a lasting solution to the Palestinian issue based on the two-state solution.
Before this, Mr. Wang met with the foreign minister of the Palestinian Authority while in Manila. After the meeting, the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement expressing gratitude toward China’s “firm position” in supporting Palestine.
Fatah, led by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, is recognized by the West in the administration of Area A and Area B in the West Bank under the Oslo Accords. In 2007, Hamas expelled Fatah from Gaza in what was essentially a coup, leading to the formation of two opposing factions within the Palestinian territories. International efforts have failed to achieve reconciliation between the two factions to this day.
Using Hamas to Challenge the US
Following the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel last Oct, a bipartisan delegation from Congress visited China. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer expressed disappointment to Chinese leader Xi Jinping over China’s “lack of sympathy to Israel in its official response” to the Hamas attack, urging China to “stand with the Israeli people and condemn the cowardly and vicious attacks.”At the time, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed that China is a friend to both Israel and Palestine. However, the CCP’s propaganda mouthpiece Global Times alleged that the West bears responsibility for the war in Gaza, claiming that taking sides would only “add fuel to the fire.”
Mr. Tang believes that China’s plans for intra-Palestinian reconciliation, including establishing a future Palestinian state, will not play a substantial role in the process. Instead, China is merely using this opportunity to manipulate these two Palestinian factions to serve its political interests.
He explained that the strategic position of the Middle East is crucial, and in recent years, China has begun to intervene in Middle Eastern affairs. Its main goal is to play a more important role in the region in the future, rewrite the geopolitical landscape, and compete with the United States for dominance.
“China wants to have a share in the reconstruction of the Middle East’s political power map in the future with the United States. It is showing the United States that it has a significant influence. [The CCP is saying that if] the United States and Israel want to avoid trouble in the Middle East, they must make some concessions to China,” Mr. Tang said.
