Beijing Declaration turns a new page for Palestine

The Beijing Declaration on Ending Division and Strengthening Palestinian National Unity, signed by representatives from 14 Palestinian factions after reconciliation talks in Beijing on July 23, marks the first time these groups, including long-standing adversaries Fatah and Hamas, joined together for reconciliation since their falling apart in 2007.

On the very day of the signing of the Beijing Declaration, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mao Ning, said that the signing of the declaration brings precious hope to the suffering Palestinian people and China sincerely hopes that, based on internal reconciliation, the Palestinian factions will soon achieve national unity and independence for the nation.

Palestine was near national unity in January 1996, when the Palestinian National Authority was established. However, differences and contradictions among the various factions became prominent. Fatah adopted a relatively moderate stance towards Israel, advocating for a peaceful path, while Hamas had long maintained a refusal to recognize Israel, holding a hardline position that includes the use of violence. The two main factions have been competing openly and covertly, with Fatah long occupying the presidency and Hamas increasingly gaining influence in the Palestinian Legislative Council.

In the January 2006 Palestinian legislative elections, Hamas won 74 of the 132 seats, outperforming Fatah, which further escalated the conflict between the two factions. In June of the same year, Fatah’s chairperson announced the dissolution of the government, and then in July, Hamas expelled all Fatah personnel from their stronghold in Gaza. Since then, Fatah and Hamas have controlled the West Bank and Gaza respectively, leaving the Palestinian people, who have long struggled for independence, to endure the hardship of living with two autonomous territories at odds with each other.

The prolonged internal division has left the Palestinian forces, which were already disadvantaged against Israel, even weaker. Although Fatah is considered a formal adversary by Israel and Western countries, it has been marginalized due to weak internal support. Particularly, the Netanyahu administration’s intensified settlement expansion in the West Bank embarrassed Fatah’s peaceful stance, diminishing its appeal among Palestinians. Conversely, Hamas’ violent resistance, which earned applause from Palestinians on occupied territories, drew opposition from some countries and international organizations.

To break free from this deadlock, Fatah and Hamas reached an agreement in Cairo in October 2017, but the agreement ultimately proved to be ineffective. In the latest round of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, harsh Israeli retaliatory actions threatened the survival of all Palestinian factions, including Fatah and Hamas, prompting the two to seek reconciliation and unity. This was also an opportunity for China, among other influential regional countries with international clout, to actively mediate again.

In April 2024, China publicly acknowledged that representatives from Fatah and Hamas had held consultations in Beijing on promoting intra-Palestine reconciliation and engaging in deep and honest dialogue. The finalization of the Beijing Declaration signifies that after nearly 20 years since the split in 2006, Palestine has demonstrated broad and significant consensus for the first time, surpassing the expectations of all parties involved.

Addressing the current conflict in Gaza, China proposed a three-step initiative. The first step is to encourage a comprehensive, lasting, and sustainable ceasefire in Gaza to ensure unimpeded humanitarian aid and relief. The second step is to adhere to the principle of self-rule by the Palestinians while working together on post-Gaza governance. The third step is to promote Palestine’s accession as a full member of the United Nations and to begin implementing the two-state solution.

These steps represent a realistic path forward for Palestinian factions to strive for internal reconciliation and to realize national unity and independence as soon as possible. Achieving this, however, undoubtedly requires more compromise and courage for solidarity from Fatah, Hamas, and all Palestinian factions amid common crises and pressures.

At the same time, as an important part of achieving peace in the Middle East, continuous efforts and patience from relevant parties around the world are still needed for Palestine’s internal reconciliation. Nevertheless, regardless of this, the Beijing Declaration marks a positive beginning that deserves anticipation.