Palestinian factions agree to end division in pact brokered by China

Rival Palestinian factions including Fatah and Hamas have signed an agreement aimed at ending their division and building unity following talks in Beijing, marking a diplomatic win for China.

Senior representatives of 14 Palestinian factions reached the agreement - called the Beijing Declaration - after reconciliation talks that began on Sunday.

The pact aims to unite Palestinians in their conflict with Israel, which launched a war on militant group Hamas in Gaza in October.

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Senior representatives of 14 Palestinian factions signed the agreement after days of reconciliation talks in Beijing. Photo: AFP alt=Senior representatives of 14 Palestinian factions signed the agreement after days of reconciliation talks in Beijing. Photo: AFP>

The Chinese foreign ministry said the agreement was a first step to promote a "comprehensive, durable and sustainable ceasefire" in the Gaza Strip that would eventually lead to Palestine being admitted to the United Nations as a fully fledged member and becoming an independent state.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday said the signing of the agreement was "an important, historic moment in the Palestinian cause".

He said that under the deal the rival groups had agreed to set up an "interim national reconciliation government" to govern post-war Gaza.

Signatories included senior Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk and Fatah envoy Mahmoud al-Aloul along with emissaries from 12 other Palestinian groups.

The Chinese foreign ministry said it was the first time the 14 rival groups had gathered together in Beijing for reconciliation talks.

"Reconciliation is an internal matter for the Palestinian factions, but at the same time it cannot be achieved without the support of the international community," Wang said.

He added that China was keen to "play a constructive role in safeguarding peace and stability in the Middle East".

Hamas and the Palestinian Authority - the two dominant Palestinian political parties in the Palestinian territories - have held multiple rounds of unity talks since Hamas defeated President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party in parliamentary elections in 2006.

In 2007 Hamas became de facto ruler in the Gaza Strip while Fatah led the Palestinian Authority in the Israel-controlled West Bank.

But reconciliation efforts have floundered, with tensions between Fatah and Hamas escalating and spilling over in the region.

Hamas and Fatah have tried and failed several times to reach an agreement to unite the two separate Palestinian territories under one governance, with a 2017 agreement brokered by Egypt quickly falling apart. A 2022 agreement to hold elections within a year was not followed through.

The West has refused to accept any government that includes Hamas unless it expressly recognises Israel.

Tuesday's agreement comes as China has sought to position itself as a mediator in Gaza after it brokered a peace deal between Middle East rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia in March last year.

It is also trying to mediate in Russia's war in Ukraine. Ukrainian Foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba is in Beijing this week to discuss China's role in ending the war as well as economic cooperation.

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright © 2024 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

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