The Palestinian issue is at the core of the Middle East problem. In recent years, China has put forward proposals and taken measures to resolve the Palestinian issue with Chinese wisdom and solutions.
At the invitation of China, senior representatives of 14 Palestinian factions held a dialogue in Beijing in July and signed the Beijing Declaration on Ending Division and Strengthening Palestinian National Unity. The Beijing dialogue was the most inclusive and in-depth reconciliation talks among 14 political factions to date.
The important consensus of the Beijing talks is to achieve reconciliation and unity among the 14 factions. The main result is the affirmation of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as the sole legitimate representative of the entire Palestinian people. The highlight is the agreement on the establishment of an interim government of national reconciliation focused on the post-conflict reconstruction of Gaza. The strongest call is the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in accordance with the relevant United Nations resolutions.
Mousa Abu Marzouk, head of the Hamas delegation to the Beijing dialogue, said Hamas is ready to implement the Beijing Declaration, strengthen unity between factions and advance the reconciliation process to achieve Palestinian national unity. Mahmoud al-Aloul, deputy head of the Fatah movement, said that China is a light and its efforts to promote reconciliation between Palestinian factions are rare on the international stage. European Union Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process Sven Koopmans stressed that this is a remarkable achievement and fully demonstrates China’s positive and constructive role in the Middle East peace process.
The key to the Palestinian reconciliation process is to build trust, stay on course and make gradual progress. Only by continually striving to reach consensus and put it into practice can the reconciliation process achieve more and more substantial progress and greater unity. On the path of reconciliation, China shares the same direction and destination as Arab and Islamic countries.
The Gaza conflict has been dragging on and its repercussions continue to spread, while many regional conflicts are interconnected. To help resolve this conflict and difficult situation, China proposes a three-step initiative.
The first step is to achieve a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as soon as possible and to ensure access for humanitarian aid and relief on the ground. The international community must strengthen synergy to end hostilities and establish a ceasefire.
The second step is to make joint efforts to ensure the post-conflict governance of Gaza according to the principle of “Palestinians governing Palestine.” Gaza is an integral and inseparable part of Palestine. Relaunching post-conflict reconstruction as soon as possible is an urgent priority. The international community must support the Palestinian factions in establishing an interim national consensus government and ensuring effective governance of Gaza and the West Bank.
The third step is to help Palestine become a full member state of the United Nations and implement the two-state solution. It is important to support the convening of a broader, more authoritative and more effective international peace conference to develop a timetable and road map for the two-state solution.
The three-step initiative presents a detailed and achievable plan to peacefully resolve the Palestinian issue, helping to build consensus among all stakeholders and put the Palestinian issue back on the right track to a political solution.
China and many Middle Eastern countries are linked by similar memories of the ravages of imperialism and colonialism, and share a common quest for national liberation, independence and self-reliance. China has never engaged in geopolitical confrontation or sought alliances in the Middle East, nor does it intend to create spheres of influence to fill the supposed power vacuum in the region.
China has no selfish interest in the Palestinian issue. It was one of the first countries to recognize the PLO and the State of Palestine and has always firmly supported the Palestinian people in restoring their legitimate national rights.
There is no simple solution to the Palestinian question and peace cannot be achieved overnight. Intra-Palestinian reconciliation will bring hope and a future to the Palestinian people. It is an important step towards resolving the Palestinian question and achieving stability in the Middle East.
China firmly supports the Palestinian people in their efforts to regain their legitimate national rights and the people of Middle Eastern countries in their determination to take charge of their future. China looks forward to the day when the Palestinian factions achieve internal reconciliation and, on this basis, realize national unity and statehood as soon as possible. China will continue to work unremittingly to this end, making greater contributions to promoting regional peace and prosperity.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Tel Aviv Tribune.