Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the agreement was “dedicated to the great reconciliation and unity of all 14 factions.”
“The core outcome is that the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) is the sole legitimate representative of all Palestinian people,” Wang said, adding that “an agreement has been reached on post-Gaza war governance and the establishment of a provisional national reconciliation government.”
From Wang Yi’s comments, the specific role of Hamas in the new arrangement remains uncertain, as does the immediate effect any deal might have. The discussions occur amidst Israel’s ongoing promise to dismantle Hamas following the group’s October 7 terrorist attack.
The Orient House in East Jerusalem, once envisioned as the unofficial headquarters of a future Palestinian state, now sits vacant. The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), a coalition that includes Fatah and signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1993, helped establish the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Unlike Fatah, Hamas, which did not sign the Oslo Accords, does not recognize Israel and has not been part of the PLO.
During the Beijing talks, Mustafa Barghouti, president of the Palestinian National Initiative, indicated that there was consensus among all parties, including Hamas, about the necessity of joining the PLO, which is seen as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.
Relations between Hamas and Fatah have been marred by deep-seated animosity, with numerous failed attempts to unify governance over the two separate Palestinian territories. A 2017 agreement aimed to resolve these divisions but collapsed into violence.
Hamas has controlled Gaza since 2007, having ousted the PA following its electoral victory. An Egypt-brokered reconciliation deal in 2017 aimed to establish a unified government in Gaza but fell apart after an assassination attempt on PA Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah in 2018, which Fatah blamed on Hamas.
Barghouti expressed that the recent Beijing talks have made more significant progress than past efforts, outlining specific measures towards creating a consensus government. He emphasized that the ongoing conflict in Gaza has galvanized the factions to form a united front against Israeli occupation.
The aim is for a new government to manage both the West Bank and Gaza post-conflict, challenging Israeli control, according to Barghouti. However, Tahani Mustafa of the International Crisis Group noted that Palestinians might view these developments with skepticism due to past disappointments.
“The major issues that have proven to be obstacles to reconciliation in the past were not addressed,” she told CNN. “It’s very unlikely anything substantial will come out of this especially as the biggest obstacle so far has been (Palestinian Authority president and Fatah leader) Mahmoud Abbas (and) his absolute reluctance to relinquish in any way his monopoly on power.”
Hamas is not opposed to the PLO but has instead demanded fair representation within the organization, she said. “Abbas has been reluctant to provide this, as it would mean Fatah losing its hegemony over the last Palestinian political institution it controls.”
At a news conference Tuesday in Beijing, Hamas delegation representative Mousa Abu Marzook said they had reached an agreement to complete a “course of reconciliation,” while also using the platform in Beijing to defend the group’s October 7 attack on Israel.
“We’re at a historic junction. Our people are rising up in their efforts to struggle,” Abu Marzook said, according to a translation provided by China’s Foreign Ministry, adding that the October 7 operation had “changed a lot, both in international and regional landscape.”
Beijing has not explicitly condemned Hamas for its October 7 attack on Israel.
China’s role in the Middle East has evolved significantly amid the recent conflict in Gaza. Beijing, looking to expand its influence in the region, has actively positioned itself as a mediator and advocate for the Global South, criticizing Israel’s military actions and supporting Palestinian statehood.
On a broader scale, Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for an international peace conference and has sent special envoys to the Middle East, which underscores China’s strategic intention to present an alternative leadership model to that of the United States. This push aligns with Beijing’s efforts to forge diplomatic breakthroughs, evident in its facilitation of a reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran, showcasing its growing geopolitical influence.
China’s active role in the reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah, coupled with Xi’s diplomatic initiatives, suggests a strategic commitment to enhancing its standing and influence in global politics, particularly in a region traditionally dominated by the U.S.
This involvement comes at a time when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is visiting the U.S., highlighting contrasting international approaches to the conflict in Gaza and the broader Middle Eastern dynamics. The severe humanitarian and geopolitical consequences of the Gaza war further complicate the region’s stability, making the outcomes of these diplomatic efforts uncertain.
