The Beijing Declaration on ending division and strengthening Palestinian unity

High-level representatives from 14 Palestinian factions held a reconciliation dialogue from July 21 to 23, 2024 at the invitation of China.
Photo: VCG

High-level representatives from 14 Palestinian factions held a reconciliation dialogue at the invitation of China and signed the Beijing Declaration on ending division and strengthening Palestinian unity, writes ‘The Global Times’ from China.

The Beijing Declaration was signed after three days of reconciliation talks among 14 factions, including the two largest Palestinian factions, Hamas and Fatah.

The declaration appreciates China's sincere efforts to support Palestinian rights, ending division, and unifying Palestinian positions. It emphasizes the need to convene a broad and fully authorized international conference under the auspices of the UN, with regional and international participation, the spokesperson said.

The dialogue in Beijing also demonstrated a positive and constructive spirit, agreeing to achieve comprehensive national unity under the framework of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.

It calls for establishing an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, based on relevant UN resolutions, maintaining the territorial integrity of Palestine, including the West Bank, Jerusalem, and Gaza.

The declaration also states that a temporary national reconciliation government will be formed according to the consensus of Palestinian factions and the current Basic Law of the Palestine, to undertake Gaza reconstruction and prepare for general elections as soon as possible in accordance with the adopted electoral law.

It also emphasizes taking practical steps to form a new national council according to adopted electoral law, unanimously agreeing to activate the temporary unified leadership framework and operate it institutionally for joint political decision-making, and establishing a collective mechanism to fully implement the declaration's provisions, with a clear timetable for implementation.

The most notable highlight is the consensus reached on post-war governance in Gaza and the formation of a temporary national reconciliation government. The strongest call is for the genuine establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on relevant UN resolutions, the spokesperson said.

The declaration was signed after three days of reconciliation talks among 14 factions, including the two largest Palestinian factions, Hamas and Fatah.

It is the first gathering of the 14 Palestinian groups in Beijing, which China said provides hope for the Palestinian people in the abyss of misery. Representatives of Fatah and Hamas had held a dialogue in April in Beijing on promoting intra-Palestinian reconciliation.

The talks, which were organized and coordinated by China, also highlighted the country’s role as a trustworthy peace broker, analysts said.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at the talks’ closing ceremony 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.

Wang said that a highlight of the talks was an agreement on post-Gaza conflict governance and the establishment of a provisional national reconciliation government. He added that the talks voiced a strong call for realizing the independent statehood of Palestine in accordance with relevant United Nations resolutions.

Calling the Palestinian issue the core issue of the Middle East, Wang said that China has no selfish interests in the issue and remains a staunch advocate of justice and fairness.

Wang called for a comprehensive, lasting and sustainable cease-fire to ensure access to and implementation of humanitarian assistance, and emphasized upholding the principle of “Palestinians governing Palestine “in Gaza’s postwar reconstruction.

He also stressed the importance of full membership for Palestine at the UN and the implementation of the two-state solution.

Mahmoud al-Aloul, deputy chief of Fatah, and Mousa Abu Marzouk, who represented the Hamas delegation, both expressed appreciation to China for supporting and helping Palestine, as well as for the country’s efforts to uphold justice for Palestine in the international community.

Yu Guoqing, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’ Institute of West-Asian and African Studies, said that promoting reconciliation among Palestinian factions is another significant endeavor by China to advance peace and stability in the Middle East, following Beijing’s successful diplomatic mediation for the reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran last year.

Despite the ongoing conflict in Gaza, China managed to gather representatives from 14 Palestinian factions from different countries and regions to Beijing for talks, which shows the country’s responsibility as a major country, he said.

read more in our Telegram-channel https://t.me/The_International_Affairs