Beijing has invited 14 Palestinian groups to a high-level meeting from July 21 to 23 to promote dialogue and “reconciliation”, a significant move because it could bring together Hamas, which carried out the October 7 attacks, and Fatah, the leadership group of the Palestinian Authority.
If Palestinian factions agree to unite under China’s leadership, it could put Israel in a difficult position because it could allow Hamas backers such as Russia, Turkey and Qatar to pressure the group to play a larger role in the West Bank.
“At the invitation of the Chinese side, senior officials from 14 Palestinian factions held a reconciliation dialogue in Beijing from July 21 to 23, and the Palestinian factions signed a declaration on ending division and strengthening unity,” China’s Xinhua News Agency reported. The report added that “it is the first time that 14 Palestinian factions have gathered in Beijing for reconciliation dialogue, bringing precious hope to the suffering Palestinian people.”
Palestinian Islamic Jihad said some media leaks about the Beijing meeting had falsely portrayed the group as endorsing Israel. The terror group is backed by Iran and is considered an Iranian proxy. It has large members in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, particularly Jenin.
According to the pro-Iranian media outlet Al-Mayadeen, Ihsan Ataya, a member of the Islamic Jihad Politburo, said that the group does not agree with any formula that would provide for an international resolution that would lead to the recognition of the “entity,” i.e. the legitimacy of Israel. In fact, PIJ calls on the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to revoke recognition of the Jewish state. The group called for the establishment of an “emergency committee” in Beijing to “manage the fight” with Israel.
Other reports of the meeting said Hamas and Fatah agreed to end their decades-long rift. These kinds of talks have happened before, but they will long be remembered for the 2007 coup Hamas used to drive Fatah out of Gaza, killing its members and staging a coup that set the stage for 16 years of destructive rule in Gaza and the endless war that led to the Oct. 7 attacks.
According to Reuters, Hamas leader Husam Badran praised the Beijing talks and claimed they could lead to the formation of a Palestinian unity government. This would pose a major challenge for Israel because it would essentially give Hamas control of power in the West Bank, a situation that resurfaced after the 2006 Palestinian parliamentary elections.
According to CNN, “Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the agreement was ‘dedicated to great reconciliation and unity among all 14 factions,'” he said, continuing, “The main outcome is that the PLO will become the sole legitimate representative of all Palestinians… Agreement has been reached on post-war governance of Gaza and the establishment of a transitional national reconciliation government.”
Hamas leader Musa Abu Marzouk also spoke of the “path to reconciliation,” CNN reported. “We are at a historic crossroads. Our people are rising up to fight.” [October 7] There has been a lot of change both internationally and locally.”
Hamas aims to play a bigger role in the West Bank
This indicates that while Hamas is seeking to use the China meeting to assume a larger role in the West Bank, it continues to view October 7 as a victory. As the CNN article helpfully points out, it is significant that “Beijing has not explicitly condemned Hamas for the October 7 attacks on Israel.”
The Beijing meeting has so far attracted little interest across the region. Iran does not seem to be making a big deal out of it, and neither do the Gulf states. That could change if Iran and the Gulf think the meeting could be truly successful. Many countries in the region are likely skeptical about the possibility of a genuine reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah.
Many countries also privately oppose Hamas, and those that support the terrorist group, such as Iran, may have other objectives in the West Bank: Tehran, for example, is seeking to destabilize Jordan with this war.
Overall, it is clear that the goal of Iran, Qatar and Turkey is to bring Hamas to power in the West Bank. They each have different methods for achieving that goal. Iran hopes to foster growing lawlessness in the northern West Bank, which could further weaken the Palestinian Authority’s influence there. For example, the July 23 clashes in Tulkarm demonstrated that terrorist groups such as Hamas are seeking to gain a larger foothold in the West Bank.
Since October 7, there has been a lot of behind-the-scenes maneuvering by Hamas and other groups to use the attacks to further their objectives in the West Bank. The clashes in Tulkarm and other fighting in the West Bank over the past year indicate that Iranian-backed groups are gaining strength in the area. They are seeking to stockpile explosives for use in improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and have acquired large quantities of weapons, particularly M-4 or M-16 style rifles, which are increasingly seen at demonstrations and memorials, posing a growing threat to Israel.
For countries backing Hamas, the goal on Oct. 7 is to bring the group to power in the West Bank. Israel has aimed to separate Gaza from the West Bank since 2007, isolating Hamas there. The war since October has not resulted in Hamas being defeated or losing power in the embattled coastal areas.
That is why the Beijing conference was important. Unless Israel defeats Hamas, it will continue to use support from Beijing, Ankara, Tehran and Doha to expand its influence and seek a larger regional role. Hamas’ leaders reside in Doha and can travel freely across the region. Hamas has not been isolated by the October 7 atrocities, but rather has been strengthened in some way. The Beijing conference was one example of this strength and influence.
