China brokers Gaza power-sharing pact

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com

China yesterday brokered an accord between Hamas, which had been ruling Gaza since 2006, its main political rival Fatah, and 12 other Palestinian organizations to set up a coalition to govern post-war Gaza.

The move was welcomed by the UN Chief but slammed by Israel. The coalition, termed ‘interim national reconciliation government’, signed the Beijing Declaration, which was described by China as a deal to rule Gaza together once the war ends, according to AFP reports.

After the meeting, Hamas representative Musa Abu Marzuk was quoted by AFP as saying, “Today we sign an agreement for national unity and we say that the path to completing this journey is national unity. We are committed to national unity and we call for it.”

Fatah, which has majority in the Palestinian Authority that has administrative control over West Bank, was represented in the meeting by Mahmud alAloul.

An AFP report quoted him thanking China for its “unending support” for the Palestinian cause. “To China, you have our love, you have all our friendship, from all the Palestinian people,” he was quoted by AFP to have said.

As yesterd ay ’s meeting wrapped up, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who hosted the delegates of the meeting, said the Palestinian groups had committed to reconciliation.

“The most prominent highlight is the agreement to form an interim national reconciliation government around the governance of post-war Gaza,” Wang told AFP after the factions signed the ‘Beijing Declaration’ in the Chinese capital. He added, “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.”

What’s the Deal

The text of the deal outlines plans for “a temporary national unity government by agreement of the Palestinian factions” which would “exercise its authority and powers over all Palestinian territories” - the Gaza Strip as well as the West Bank, including Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem.

Israel’s Response

A swift condemnation of the deal came from Israel, with its Foreign Minister Israel Katz being quoted by AFP as saying that “Hamas rule will be crushed”.

He was also reported by AFP to have accused Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, whose Fatah faction signed the deal, of embracing the group whose October 7 attacks triggered the war.

He also rejected any role for the Palestinian Authority in Gaza, saying “Abbas will be watching Gaza from afar”.

Hamas’ attacks on southern Israel on October 7th last year had resulted in the death of 1,197 people.

Over 250 hostages were seized by Hamas, of which 116 are yet to be released.

Military campaign

Israel’s retaliatory military campaign in Gaza has so far taken the lives of over 39,000 civilians, mostly women and children.

UN Reaction

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the accord brokered by China.

“I think all steps towards unity are to be welcomed and encouraged,” his spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said, adding that Guterres “very much welcomes the signing of the Beijing Declaration by the Palestinian factions.” Speaking at the UN, spokesperson Dujarric said unity amongst the Palestinian factions was crucial.

“Palestinian unity... is crucial for peace and security and for advancing the aspirations of the Palestinian people for self-determination and for fully independent, democratic, contiguous, viable and sovereign Palestinian state,” he said.