At the same time that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in Washington to thank Joe Biden for all the help he had provided in defence of Israel and to assure both houses of the US legislature that the country would continue to be the United States’ great and indispensable ally in the Middle East, whoever becomes president, fourteen Palestinian organisations met in Beijing under the watchful eye of Wang Yi, the Chinese Foreign Minister.

Five days of intensive talks concluded on Tuesday with the 14 movements signing their commitment to the formation of an “Interim Government of National Reconciliation” for the Gaza Strip, to be set up as soon as the war is over, according to the final communiqué.

This is how the Chinese host of the conference, Wang Yi, depositary of the first copy of the declaration signed by all the representatives, including those of the two most powerful and relevant organisations, Fatah and Hamas, defined the agreement: Fatah and Hamas, the latter described as a terrorist movement by Israel itself, the United States and the European Union. The two movements have been irreconcilable since 2007, when Hamas literally drove Fatah, and thus the Palestinian National Authority, out of the Gaza Strip after the last elections in 2006, won by Hamas, and the ensuing clashes and political turbulence that ensued throughout that year.

Chinese diplomacy sees itself as the architect of the rapprochement and reconciliation between the two, although the war, provoked by the massacre carried out by Hamas in its raid and attack on 7 October, has undoubtedly had much to do with the war, which has since been responded to by Israel with incessant bombing and mopping-up operations “to completely eradicate Hamas”.

The achievement of this document of reconciliation of all Palestinian factions is also part of China’s diplomatic strategy, which over the last year has strengthened its commercial and political ties with several countries in the Middle East, with special interest and emphasis on those traditionally considered to be under US influence.

Wang Yi used the media appearance to reaffirm that “while reconciliation is an internal matter that concerns only the Palestinians themselves, it would not be possible without the support of the international community”, and that for its part, “China is limited to playing a constructive role in maintaining peace and stability in the Middle East”.

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