China as mediator: Declaration of unity by Fatah and Hamas meets with scepticism

According to Chinese state media, the rival Palestinian organizations Hamas and Fatah have agreed to end their long-standing conflict. A total of 14 Palestinian groups – including Hamas and Fatah – signed a declaration on strengthening Palestinian unity after talks in Beijing. The goal is a joint unity government, Palestinian media reported.

Similar agreements between both organizations in the past brought no progress, so the new declaration was met with great skepticism in Israel and the Palestinian territories.

The Beijing declaration underlines “China’s sincere efforts to support the rights of the Palestinian people, end the division and unify the Palestinian position,” a spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday. “This is the first time that 14 Palestinian factions have gathered in Beijing for a reconciliation dialogue, which brings valuable hope to the suffering Palestinian people,” the spokeswoman added.

Fatah and Hamas are bitter enemies

Fatah and Hamas are the two largest Palestinian organizations and bitter rivals. In 2006, Hamas won the last Palestinian parliamentary election. The following year, it seized sole control of the Gaza Strip by force and expelled Fatah from the area. Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Chairman of Fatah, has since then de facto ruled only in the West Bank.

Washington is banking on a revamped PA for the period after the Gaza war. The US wants the Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank, to regain control of the Gaza Strip and thus promote a two-state solution as a comprehensive approach to pacifying the Middle East. Israel rejects the plans.

Hamas calls for destruction of Israel – Fatah a diplomatic solution

In its charter, the terrorist organization Hamas calls for the destruction of the State of Israel and the violent establishment of an Islamic State of Palestine from the Jordan to the Mediterranean. Most recently, it has signaled that it could join the Palestinian umbrella organization, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), and then become part of a unity government in all Palestinian territories. Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki said at the beginning of the year that this was only conceivable if Hamas recognized Israel’s right to exist and gave up the armed struggle.

According to media reports, a high-ranking Hamas official recently said that his organization was prepared to agree to a ceasefire of five or more years in the event of the creation of an independent Palestinian state within the pre-1967 borders. In that case, Hamas would lay down its arms and transform itself into a political party.

Israel wants to eliminate Hamas as a power factor in the Gaza Strip

However, recognition of Israel and the signed peace agreements by Hamas, as demanded by the international community, is considered extremely unlikely. After the unprecedented massacre on October 7, Israel’s goal is to completely destroy Hamas’ military capabilities – as well as its ability to govern.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said: “Hamas and Fatah signed an agreement in China on joint control of the Gaza Strip after the war.” Instead of rejecting terror, “Mahmud Abbas is embracing the murderers and rapists of Hamas and is thus showing his true face,” Katz wrote on X. “In reality, this will not happen because Hamas rule will be destroyed,” he explained. Abbas will then only be able to “view the Gaza Strip from afar.” Israel will retain sole security control of the coastal strip.