Fatah, Hamas reported to meet in China, 'showing nation's constructive role'

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said that China will work together with all parties within Palestine to promote reconciliation, amid reports that representatives of Fatah and Hamas are due to meet again in Beijing within days. Experts said that China's stance on justice for the Palestine issue has been well recognized and supported by different groups within the country, and that intra-Palestinian reconciliation will help Palestine deal with Israel and solve the ongoing crisis more effectively.

Lin Jian, a spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made the remarks at a routine press conference on Tuesday in response to a question on a report claiming that senior officials from Hamas and Fatah will hold dialogue for reconciliation in Beijing from July 20 to 21.

"China always supports Palestinian factions in achieving reconciliation and solidarity through dialogue and consultation and stands ready to provide platforms and opportunities for all Palestinian factions to carry out dialogue for reconciliation," Lin said.

The spokesperson noted that "the direction of our effort is the same as that of other relevant parties, and we would like to strengthen communication and coordination with them to work together for realizing Palestine's internal reconciliation."

Reuters reported on Monday that Palestinian factions, including rivals Hamas and Fatah, "will hold unity talks in China in July," two senior Hamas and Fatah officials told Reuters on Monday, as they try to resolve deep divisions.

According to the Times of Israel on Tuesday, Hamas and Fatah have agreed to meet in Beijing this month in "a renewed bid for reconciliation," and the Hamas delegation is "to be headed by its Qatar-based political chief Ismail Haniyeh," while the Fatah representation "will be led by deputy head Mahmud Alul," Fatah sources said.

The two factions also met in China in April to discuss reconciliation efforts to end around 17 years of political splits amid the ongoing bloody conflict between Israel and Palestine.

Efforts since 2007 by Arab countries, led by Egypt, have so far failed to end power-sharing disputes between Hamas, which runs Gaza, and the Fatah movement, which makes up the backbone of the Palestinian Authority, said the Reuters report.

Li Xinggang, a research fellow at the Institute for Studies on the Mediterranean Rim at Zhejiang International Studies University, told the Global Times on Tuesday that "as a firm supporter of the independence of Palestine, China has always upheld an objective, fair and just stance to solve the Palestine issue, and this has been widely supported and praised among factions within Palestine."

China will always play a constructive role in the process of fundamentally and effectively solving the Palestine issue, and contributes its wisdom to promote peace, stability, development and prosperity in the Middle East, Li noted.

Liu Zhongmin, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times that due to the split between Fatah and Hamas, it is difficult for Palestine to engage with other countries with one voice, and this also add obstacles for finding the solution of the ongoing crisis in Gaza. "So an intra-Palestinian reconciliation could be the first step for all parties to seek a political settlement between Palestine and Israel," he said.