On Tuesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed that representatives from Hamas and the Fatah movement recently met in Beijing to maintain an in-depth and sincere dialogue on Palestinian reconciliation. According to Lin Jian, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, both sides expressed their political will to achieve reconciliation through dialogue and consultations, resulting in positive progress. The negotiations led to an agreement to continue the dialogue process with the aim of achieving unity among the Palestinian people as quickly as possible.
The meeting was welcomed by China, which has previously acted as a mediator in conflicts in the Middle East, including facilitating an agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia to reestablish diplomatic relations last year. The delegations were reportedly invited by China as part of its interest in mediating the conflict in the Gaza Strip and supporting the creation of an independent Palestinian state. This meeting followed one held in Moscow in March where both factions agreed to continue their dialogue for national unity.
Both Hamas and Fatah have been divided since 2007 when Hamas expelled Fatah from the Gaza Strip following its victory in elections the previous year. While Fatah currently governs the Palestinian territories of the West Bank, it has faced opposition from Hamas who seeks control over Gaza Strip. Recent reports suggest that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is working on reforming his government with a technocratic Executive that could potentially take control of Gaza Strip after conflict resolution.
