On the eve of the May Day holiday, Xinhua News Agency released another explosive news: At the invitation of the Chinese side, representatives of the Palestinian National Liberation Movement (Fatah) and the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) recently went to Beijing for consultations and had an in-depth and candid discussion on promoting intra-Palestinian reconciliation.
Judging from the information released by China's foreign affairs department, positive progress has been made in the talks between Fatah and Hamas in Beijing. The two sides stressed the importance of a ceasefire and cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip and emergency assistance to the people of Gaza, and agreed to continue the process of dialogue with a view to achieving Palestinian unity at an early date.
Friends who know the Middle East issue must know that it is absolutely as difficult to let these two "little brothers" sit together and discuss the issue as the "reconciliation of the century" that Saudi Arabia and Iran completed in Beijing last time. Thanks to China's ongoing diplomatic efforts, the two "little brothers" held hands together in Beijing in early summer.
The former "sworn enemy" untied the knot of his heart for many years.
The eldest brother, Fatah, was founded in 1959 and became the core of the Palestine Liberation Organization in the 70s of the 20th century, and led the Palestinian nationalist movement for the next 30 years, making "great contributions" to the cause of national liberation and the construction of a modern sovereign state.
The younger brother, Hamas, was born in the first Palestinian intifada in 1987, and has continued to grow and develop with a staunch anti-Israel stance, strong Islamic colors and a solid social foundation.
However, the "moderate" Fatah and the "radical" Hamas have a long history of confrontation, going through the process of going from private to open confrontation.
Around the time of the second Palestinian intifada in 2000, Hamas had developed into the main Palestinian political opposition, often resorting to military operations against Israel in defiance of the Palestinian National Authority's prohibitions.
In the 2006 parliamentary elections, Hamas defeated Fatah in one fell swoop and briefly established a coalition government. However, the armed conflict between the two factions continued to escalate due to the fact that the two sides were unable to reach an agreement on issues such as the arrangement of armed forces.
In June 2007, Hamas forces seized Fatah's military facilities in the Gaza Strip, and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas immediately announced the dissolution of the coalition government.
In 2011, Fatah and Hamas signed a settlement agreement in Cairo under Egyptian mediation, agreeing to form a coalition government again. Subsequently, in 2012, 2014, 2017, 2020 and 2022, the two signed a number of supplementary agreements on the formation of a coalition government, but none of them came to naught.
Under China's mediation, the two sides have finally taken a substantive step forward on the issue of reconciliation and unity, which can be said to be extremely difficult.
China has become a "reliable mediator" in the Middle East.
For a long time, the United States and the West have intervened in Middle East affairs by means of alliances, partitions, military intervention, etc., leaving untold troubles and suffering to regional countries.
In order to control the Middle East and consolidate its hegemony, the United States does not hesitate to undermine international fairness and justice and sacrifice the legitimate rights and interests of the Palestinian people.
In particular, after the outbreak of the new round of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the United States has "one-sidedly" supported Israel, continuously increased its military aid to Israel, repeatedly vetoed the draft ceasefire in Gaza, "added fuel to the fire" of regional conflicts, and caused a large number of civilians to suffer the bitter fruits of war. (See also the article "Perverse! Sadly Indignant!")
On the other hand, China's Middle East diplomacy, with the overall goal of building a "community with a shared future for mankind", has been widely welcomed by countries in the region.
The mediation of the resumption of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran has enhanced China's image as a responsible major country in the Middle East.
Under China's mediation, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to restore diplomatic relations and reopen their embassies seven years after the severance of diplomatic relations, achieving the "reconciliation of the century" in Beijing.
China's special envoy for the Middle East, Zhai Jun, went to Arab countries to carry out shuttle diplomacy and actively promote a ceasefire and cessation of hostilities between Palestine and Israel. In addition, China has deepened cooperation with regional countries in responding to non-traditional security threats, jointly safeguarding the security of international shipping lanes and related waters, and cooperating in combating terrorism and extremist forces. (See also the article "Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: Some People Pull the Sidelines, Some People Promote Peace Talks")
It is precisely the long-term accumulation of diplomatic credibility that has earned China the title of "reliable mediator" in the diplomatic circles of the Middle East.
Two diplomatic philosophies in stark contrast.
China's active mediation on hotspot issues in the Middle East, such as the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and intra-Palestinian reconciliation, has played a constructive role, which is in stark contrast to the long-standing US practice of intensifying contradictions in the Middle East, highlighting the deep-seated differences in diplomatic concepts.
The United States' Middle East policy completely serves its own interests, not only adopting the strategy of "divide and rule" and bloc confrontation to create and expand hostile relations between countries in the region, but also manipulating military hegemony and overriding regional peace and the interests of other countries, bringing grave disasters to the Middle East region.
The purpose of the United States in stirring up troubled waters in the Middle East is nothing more than to continue to maintain its global hegemony and seek more interests.
China's Middle East policy adheres to an objective and fair position, and does not engage in pulling factions and fighting factions, but does its utmost to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East and promote the development and prosperity of the Middle East.
As President Xi Jinping said in his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the first China-Arab States Summit, "China supports the Arab side in using Arab wisdom to promote the political settlement of hotspot and difficult issues and build a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security architecture in the Middle East." China urges the international community to respect the ownership status of the people of the Middle East and add positive energy to the security and stability of the Middle East."
Against the backdrop of the cloudy Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the dawn of intra-Palestinian reconciliation has begun to emerge in Beijing, which once again proves that China has always acted as a promoter of security and stability in the Middle East, a partner in development and prosperity, and a supporter of unity and self-reliance, and has brought new hope for the peaceful settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli issue.
The Middle East needs peace and stability, and the world needs peace and stability. It is hoped that the Beijing talks will reconcile the internal contradictions in Palestine and contribute positive forces to the settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the Middle East issue.
Source: Ninety Thousand Miles