Fatah, the leading PLO faction, and Hamas signed the “Beijing Declaration” on Tuesday morning in which they agreed on the establishment of a temporary Palestinian government, Al Mayadeen, the Hezbollah-affiliated TV network reported. The declaration was signed by 14 terrorist factions in the Chinese capital following a two-day summit, hosted by Wang Yi, the Chinese foreign minister, in an attempt to “end the Palestinian national division,” agreeing: “We must unite nationally to resist Israeli aggression and stop the genocide.”
Wang called the meeting a “historic moment for the cause of Palestine’s liberation,” and noted that “The standout highlight is consensus around establishing an interim national reconciliation government to manage Gaza after the war.”
Wang reiterated China’s wish for a “comprehensive, lasing and sustainable ceasefire,” and reaching a two-state solution via a large-scale “international peace conference.”
The Chinese government released photos showing Wang in conversation with senior Fatah official Mahmoud al-Aloul, and senior Hamas member Mussa Abu Marzuk. Also on hand were the ambassadors of Russia, Egypt, Russia, and Algeria.
HAMAS AND THE PLO
The PLO’s decision to align with Hamas after it carried out the October 7 atrocities represents another decline in its relationship with Israel. Several PA officials have brazenly stated that soon they, too, would engage in their own October 7 attack, and unlike Hamas, they are much closer to Israel’s soft belly: Tel Aviv and the Sharon Valley.
The relationship between Hamas and the PLO has been marked by periods of cooperation, competition, and conflict. The PLO, founded in 1964, has long been recognized internationally as the “sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.” Hamas, established in 1987 during the First Intifada, emerged as an Islamist alternative to the secular PLO. Unlike the PLO, which is making an effort to show it tolerates the Jewish State, Hamas rejected recognition of Israel from the start and advocated armed resistance. This fundamental difference has been a source of tension between the two terrorist organizations.
In 2006, Hamas won a majority in the Palestinian legislative elections, challenging the PLO’s political dominance. This led to a power struggle culminating in a violent civil war in Gaza in 2007, with Hamas taking control of the strip while the PLO-affiliated Palestinian Authority retained control in Judea and Samaria.
Since then, there have been several attempts at reconciliation between Hamas and the PLO/Fatah, with agreements signed in 2011, 2014, and 2017. However, implementation has been limited due to ongoing disagreements over power-sharing, security arrangements, and strategic vision regarding the right time to eliminate the “Zionist entity.”
In recent years, there have been signs of potential rapprochement, with both sides recognizing the need for unity to advance their “national” interests. However, significant ideological and practical differences remain, and a full reconciliation appears distant. The Hamas-PLO relationship continues to be a critical factor in PA Arab politics.
CHINA AND ISRAEL
Israel and China have developed significant trade and military ties over the past few decades, with Israel becoming an important supplier of advanced military technology to China. Here’s a revised overview of their relationship:
Israel has emerged as a major arms supplier to China, second only to Russia. Their exports include sophisticated military equipment like communications satellites. This relationship has been crucial for China, allowing it to access military technologies it cannot obtain from the United States, European Union, or Russia due to various restrictions.
The economic ties between the two nations have grown substantially. China is now Israel’s third-largest global trading partner and its largest in East Asia. Trade volume expanded dramatically from $50 million in 1992 to over $10 billion by 2013. A significant portion of this trade involves advanced military equipment.
Diplomatic relations have also strengthened. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited China in 2013, resulting in the establishment of five joint task forces focusing on high-tech, environmental protection, energy, agriculture, and financing. Netanyahu made another visit in 2017 to commemorate 25 years of diplomatic relations.
However, Israel’s military exports to China have occasionally caused tension with the United States. A notable example occurred in 2002 when the U.S. administration under President George W. Bush pressured Israel to cancel a planned sale of the Phalcon airborne early-warning radar system to China.
