After talks in China… Palestinian factions sign declaration ending division among themselves

Several Palestinian factions agreed to end the division and promote Palestinian unity by signing the Beijing Declaration in the Chinese capital on Tuesday morning, Chinese state media reported.

China Central Television said the announcement was signed at the closing ceremony of the factional reconciliation dialogue hosted by Beijing from Sunday to Tuesday.

China’s global television network CGTN said in a social media post that a total of 14 Palestinian factions, including Fatah and Hamas leaders, also met with media representatives in the presence of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Fatah and Hamas representatives met in Beijing in April to discuss reconciliation efforts to end some 17 years of disputes.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi confirmed on Tuesday that 14 Palestinian factions had agreed to form a temporary national reconciliation government to administer Gaza after the war.

Hamas leader Moussa Abu Marzouk said it had signed a national unity agreement with Fatah and other factions at the end of a meeting in the Chinese capital.

“Today we sign an agreement for national unity, we say that the way to complete this journey is national unity,” Abu Marzouq said, adding, “We adhere to national unity and call for it”.

The agreement comes amid more than nine months of war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed that the agreement touches on managing Gaza after the war, one of the points that has been being discussed by various parties for months.

Speaking at the signing of the Beijing Declaration by factions in Beijing, Wang said, “The most important point is the agreement to form an interim national reconciliation government on the post-war administration of Gaza”.

He stressed that 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.

Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007 after clashes with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah party, which ended with the expulsion of the latter from the enclave, which has been besieged by Israel ever since.

The crisis began after Hamas won the 2006 elections in the Strip.

Although several agreements have been concluded between the parties since then, attempts at reconciliation haven’t borne concrete fruit.

But the war in Gaza has revived calls for dialogue. Beijing hosted a meeting between Fatah and Hamas on April, when another meeting was agreed on June before being postponed.

At the time, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said it hoped it could push for reconciliation among Palestinians.

Wang Yi stressed Tuesday that China is keen to play a constructive role in safeguarding peace and stability in the Middle East.

He stressed that Beijing calls for a comprehensive, lasting and sustainable ceasefire, as well as efforts to support Palestinian autonomy and recognition of a Palestinian state at the United Nations.

Beijing has long shown sympathy for the Palestinian cause and has supported a two-state solution.