On Tuesday, a peace deal was struck between 14 Palestinian groups, including sworn enemies Hamas and Fatah, at the behest of PRC, in Beijing. The deal is about “ending division and strengthening Palestinian unity”. This came after “reconciliation” talks held in China starting Sunday. At the core of the peace deal is the agreement to form a unity government in the West Bank and Gaza, the two Palestinian territories adjacent to Israel. Currently, Gaza is under the control of Hamas, while the West Bank is governed by the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority, with Mahmoud Abbas as PA President. Fatah is the largest of the parties that comprise the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). Abbas is the Fatah chairman. According to Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, “The core outcome is that the PLO is the sole legitimate representative of all Palestinian people.” He added that “an agreement has been reached on post-Gaza war governance and the establishment of a provisional national reconciliation government.” Interestingly, Hamas, which threw out the Fatah from Gaza in 2007, does not recognise the PLO. It is not yet known how it will be accommodated in such a grouping, particularly because countries like the US and UK are against Hamas being a part of the PLO. Meanwhile, post the peace deal, the Hamas has already staked claim to head the unity government, which essentially means that both Gaza and West Bank will be under the control of this terrorist organisation, if the deal is finally implemented. This is a nightmare scenario that Israel has been trying to avoid. For Israel, to have Hamas in control of both Gaza and West Bank is akin to being in a permanent state of a two-front war, and it seems that is what exactly China is trying for. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who governs the West Bank, has not responded yet to the peace deal, but may have to make way for Hamas if China manages to get the deal implemented. It was Mahmoud al-Aloul, vice chairman of the central committee of Fatah, who had represented Fatah in the meeting and not Abbas. There is a perception that Abbas, a moderate, is pro West and experts say that this could be the reason why China wants him out.
Hamas drove out the Fatah from Gaza in 2007 after a violent confrontation and all attempts of forming a unity government have failed ever since. So how far China will be able to succeed in its effort, is not known, but what is noteworthy is that China is trying to project itself as a reliable interlocutor and peacemaker in one of the most volatile regions of the world. It tried something similar between Saudi Arabia and Iran too earlier, thus trying to limit US influence in the region. It’s a different matter that its actions might lead to more instability, increasing the possibility of constant conflict with Israel. Which brings us to the attacks of 7 October 2023 on Israelis led by the Hamas and its aligned terrorist groups. Till date, China has not condemned Hamas for the atrocities it committed on innocent Israelis. In fact as experts in the know allege, apart from arming the Hamas—through a third party, possibly Iran—China has helped Hamas to construct the wide network of tunnels below Gaza and even given the Hamas leadership military training.
Ironically, the so-called peacemaker PRC, invited to the Beijing meeting even designated terrorist groups such as the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement, whose militia arm is the dreaded Al Quds Brigade. Beijing is adept at using terrorist elements to its own advantage, its repeated refusal to let Pakistan-backed terror leaders to be branded as “designated terrorists” by the UN, being cases in point. They would rather needle India by backing these terrorists. Hence, the whole effort now is to ensure that Israel is kept on its toes, that the region stays unstable, and that US influence is reduced. Post the Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent war, the possibility of peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia has receded in the background and the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC) has got hobbled. Who benefits in this, as the world’s attention stays diverted to West Asia? China, which can merrily go around grabbing territory, subverting democracy, trapping nations into debts, flexing its war muscles against tiny Taiwan, striving to become the world’s sole superpower.
The so-called peace deal is actually about anything but peace.