CHINA BROKERS A DEAL AMONG PALESTINIANS
Leaders of Palestinian groups Hamas and Fatah signed a China-brokered declaration in Beijing on Tuesday (July 22), “pledging to end division and strengthen unity”.
THE CONFLICT:
The two groups have competed in the past over the political leadership of Palestinian territories.
OTHER PALESTINIAN GROUPS PRESENT
Representatives of 12 other Palestinian groups also participated in three days of talks. Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on closing day that “The most important consensus reached in the talks was for the reconciliation and unity of the 14 factions, with the core outcome being that the Palestine Liberation Organization is the sole legitimate representative of
all Palestinian people.”
It also calls for achieving comprehensive national unity, which would include all Palestinian factions within the framework of the Palestine Liberation Organization, and establishing an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.”
HAMAS FATAH & PLO
Hamas and Fatah are major political groups in Palestinian territories, that is the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
- Hamas (formed in 1987) is in power in Gaza. Hamas emerged as a resistance group against Israeli occupation after the First Intifada or uprising in 1987. There was dwindling faith among many about the prospects of Palestinian goals for independence being met at the time, and Hamas advocated the use of violence.
- Fatah (formed in 1959) heads the Palestinian Authority which governs some parts of the West Bank. Most of the West Bank is under Israeli control.
- Fathah became the most powerful organisation in the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO), created in 1964 to unite Palestinian groups. PLO is also the representative of Palestine at various international organisations and Hamas is not a part of it.
THE ISRAEL-PALESTINE REGION
OSLO ACCORDS & ITS AFTERMATH
- While they initially lodged strong opposition to Israel and employed tactics such as attacks on Israelis, that stance softened over time, around the 1990s.
- Particularly, the signing of the US-brokered Oslo Accords in 1993 between Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin led the PLO to recognise the State of Israel for the first time.
- PLO also resolved to give up violence, while Israel recognised it in turn as the sole representative of the Palestinians.
- Oslo accords were criticised on both the sides.
- Hamas criticised it since it wanted the entire territory and PLO recognised the right of Israel as a state.
- Rightist Israelis criticised because PLO was recognised as a representative of Palestinians. The rightist went on to assassinate the PM Rabin.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS ACCORD BROKERED BY CHINA
There has been no resolution to the brutal conflict between Israelis & Hamas which started in Oct 2023.
- The lack of a Palestinian representative, who enjoys support among all parties, has been cited as a reason behind the slow progress on establishing peace.
- Israel, for instance, views Hamas as a terrorist group which needs to be completely destroyed. The US has also repeatedly condemned Hamas.
- In this scenario, China has attempted to present itself as a mediator with “no selfish interests in the issue” and “a staunch advocate of justice and fairness”.
- But its engagement with Palestinian leadership also comes from its long-standing support for Palestine. China was one of the first countries to recognise the PLO and the State of Palestine. China supports the Two State solution for Israel & Palestine.
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