Fourteen Palestinian factions signed an agreement to set up an “interim national reconciliation government” to govern the emergency situation that followed the Zionist occupation’s genocidal war against the Gaza Strip and the increased pressure and tensions across the West Bank.
According to China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, on Tuesday, Palestinian factions including Hamas, Fatah, Islamic Jihad, the PFLP and DFLP met in Beijing this week and committed to “reconciliation”.
“The most prominent highlight is the agreement to form an interim national reconciliation government around the governance of post-war Gaza,” Wang said following the signing of the “Beijing Declaration” by the factions in the Chinese capital.
Moreover, Wang emphasized that “reconciliation is an internal matter for the Palestinian factions, but at the same time, it cannot be achieved without the support of the international community,” adding that China was keen to “play a constructive role in safeguarding peace and stability in the Middle East.”
PIJ rejects wording, leaked details are misinterpreted
In turn, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement has confirmed that the leaked details regarding the final statement of the Palestinian dialogue in China are inaccurate, emphasizing that the movement rejected any wording that explicitly or implicitly acknowledges the Zionist entities existence.
Ihsan Ataya, a member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement’s political bureau, noted that the movement did not agree to include any language referring to international resolutions that would recognize the legitimacy of the occupation.
He affirmed that the movement called for the withdrawal of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s recognition of the occupying regime.
Ataya also mentioned that the movement requested the formation of an “emergency committee” or “emergency government” to manage the battle against the genocide and plans to end the Palestinian cause.
Below we will share official statements from several factions.
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine Political Bureau member Marwan Abdul Aal on Al-Mayadeen TV about the Beijing Declaration:
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The success of any political declaration lies in having an implementation mechanism, and there must be a will to execute what has been agreed upon.
There are now advanced points reached after serious and responsible dialogue, which are considered distinctive from previous dialogues, building upon them without negating them.
All issues were discussed, including unifying our vision and complete narrative on genocide, rebuilding the Palestinian home, activating the collapsed institutions, and forming a temporary national leadership to become a reference for the people.
We are making progress in terms of resistance and leveraging its achievements, such as the International Court of Justice considering the entity as terrorist and the occupation as illegitimate, and thus we must resist it and remove settlements.
We should not differ on the means; there are legitimate means available to us in this regard, such as establishing the Palestinian state and revoking the recognitions given to the entity worldwide, rallying around the recognition of Palestinian rights.
These steps can only be strengthened by unifying the Palestinian ranks.
The Chinese, through their Foreign Minister, have mentioned three points they want: a ceasefire, governance meaning not separating Gaza from the West Bank, thus giving Palestinians the sole right to manage their country, and thirdly, the right of the Palestinian people to an independent state.
Politically leveraging this, the international community should be mobilized this time sponsored by allied and friendly countries like China and Russia, rather than American sponsorship, to carry this banner.
However, the most crucial point for international political mobilization is having the weapon of Palestinian national unity.
All these issues focused on will thwart American and “israeli” plans for the following day, meaning it should be a Palestinian day.
The Beijing Declaration is considered a step towards thwarting renewed plans to impose guardianship and dependency and attempts to legally entrench division internationally.
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Anyone who follows the internal Palestinian situation realizes that it is full of complexities and obstacles. In Hamas, it has always been clear and consistent that we are keen on achieving Palestinian national unity based on confronting this occupation and defining it as an enemy that must be resisted, not a friend or partner to find ways to coexist with.
The idea of a Palestinian national consensus government is actually a proposal from Hamas. We put it forward in the first weeks of this battle, intending to send a message to all parties trying to intervene in Palestinian internal affairs that organizing the Palestinian people’s affairs is an internal Palestinian matter. We will not allow any party, whether regional or international, to intervene or try to impose its agenda on us as Palestinians.
Since then, we have been moving with the factions, various forces, and components of our Palestinian people, and the idea has gained wide acceptance in the Palestinian arena.
The new development is that our brothers in the Fatah movement have agreed to this proposal, perhaps for the first time since it was initially suggested. Therefore, we are talking about moving towards forming a Palestinian consensus government with the approval of Palestinian factions to manage Palestinian affairs in Gaza and the West Bank, oversee reconstruction, and prepare for elections at a later stage.
We discussed the mechanisms in this meeting, but one or two days of talks do not allow for discussing every detail. This agreement and the point related to forming a Palestinian national consensus government are important, and I believe it was a popular and public demand among Palestinians.
In the coming period, we in Hamas, along with all the factions, will move to ensure the implementation of this agreement, especially the point of forming a consensus government, as it cannot tolerate much delay.
We are not proposing the consensus government as the solution after the battle ends. We want to form this government as soon as possible, even if the battle continues. In fact, we believe that forming such a government might facilitate reaching a ceasefire and create a strong barrier against Netanyahu’s government’s plans to impose realities in the West Bank or Gaza Strip.
National work is not about taking it all or leaving it all, nor is it dealt with only based on past experiences. Yes, the experiences have been difficult and full of bitterness, and unfortunately, some Palestinian parties do not implement what is agreed upon, but in the end, we are talking about the fate of our people.
Every indication, every opportunity, and every attempt that can even lead to partial progress in unifying the Palestinian home and confronting this aggression, whether it comes from the occupation or its supporters, especially the United States, it is logical and natural for any Palestinian leadership to move in this direction. This does not affect our efforts related to the battle.
We have been engaged in this battle in the field for about 10 months, and we will continue in this matter to defend our Palestinian people. National meetings are not a substitute for the continuation of the resistance.
We are talking about the necessity of a permanent and complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of the occupation from the Gaza Strip, and discussions about relief and reconstruction. Therefore, we affirmed the Palestinian position to prevent some parties from trying to influence the Palestinian stance or public opinion from different angles.
The meeting included 14 Palestinian factions. This was not a bilateral meeting between Hamas and Fatah. Each faction provided its stance and perspective, especially in the current critical phase we are experiencing. It cannot be a philosophical or intellectual discussion amidst the bloodshed in Gaza and the West Bank.
There are undoubtedly differences between the factions, not just between Hamas and Fatah, on some issues. However, the issues we agreed on and established in the statement are clear, direct, and touch on the current Palestinian situation, particularly the narrative of the war and how we end it, and the formation of a consensus government. These were the key points that were present, prominent, and agreed upon.
We will follow up with all parties to work on implementing these agreements on the ground and ensure that these steps are built upon with other positive steps towards further strengthening the internal Palestinian situation.
Some points were not raised in this round of dialogues. This dialogue includes all the Palestinian factions that were present. Regarding the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), it is not a new topic, and it has been discussed extensively. No fair and objective person can deny that the current situation of the PLO is not healthy, and there are significant issues that need to be addressed in its structure, administration, and even in its political program.
We talked about the general principle that the organization should include all Palestinian factions. Some people make a mistake when they talk about Hamas and Islamic Jihad joining the organization; many factions are outside the official frameworks of the organization. Additionally, many components of our people, civil society institutions, and others are not included. The issue of the organization is not a priority now; the priority is the war, supporting our people and resistance in Gaza politically, on the ground, and in the media, and unifying the Palestinian stance to face the conspiracies being plotted against us, whether now or after the war ends.
The occupation’s statements indicate its annoyance with any Palestinian meeting, especially when it takes place in a country like China, with its global standing and role. This undoubtedly causes inconvenience and harm to the occupation government in all its components.
The time when the occupation could decide or do whatever it wanted in the Palestinian or regional situation is long gone. However, perhaps October 7th ended the zionist arrogance that the world was accustomed to.
As Palestinians, whenever we can increase our internal unity and organize our ranks and internal matters, it gives us additional strength in confronting this occupation, especially since we are talking about a great and courageous people.
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The importance of the Beijing Declaration lies in unifying the Palestinian position in the face of war.
There is a necessity for the Palestinian political leadership to form an emergency committee, especially at this stage.
The Beijing meeting was limited to discussing the basics, and it is supposed to follow up on the meetings to confirm the ability to commit to achieving this accomplishment.
Some points that implicitly and explicitly recognize the naming of UN resolutions that include recognition of “israel” have been amended.
The Palestinian political leadership must realize that all negotiations with the occupation forces have failed.
The guarantee of implementing the clauses of the “Beijing Declaration” lies in the hands of the Palestinians themselves.
The dialogue in Beijing took place in two sessions, and after drafting the statement, there were objections to a number of its contents, and our position was clear.
The final reading of the statement was supposed to take place before its approval, but due to the limited time, it was based on what the committee drafted.
We passed the statement with our implicit reservations to thwart those who wanted to sabotage this meeting.
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The Beijing Declaration is an Important Step Towards National Unity
Hussam Badran, Head of the National Relations Office in the Hamas movement and a member of its political bureau, confirmed that the Beijing Declaration is an additional positive step towards achieving Palestinian national unity. Its significance stems from the location and the host country, as we are talking about the People’s Republic of China with its international weight and steadfast support for the Palestinian cause.
In a press statement today, Tuesday, Badran expressed his high appreciation for the substantial efforts made by China to reach this declaration. They are moving in this path for the first time with their weight and stature, which is something we need as Palestinians to face the unilateral policies pursued by the United States regarding the Palestinian cause. The US administration stands against any internal Palestinian national consensus and is entirely biased, even partners, with the occupation in its crimes against our people.
Badran added that this declaration comes at an important time when our people are facing genocide, especially in the Gaza Strip.
He noted that the official statement signed by the factions is clear in its contents and is not what has been published and circulated since yesterday.
Badran said that those meeting in Beijing saluted our Palestinian people, especially in the Gaza Strip, for their resilience and steadfastness. They expressed their appreciation for the Palestinian resistance, which is exercising our natural right to confront the occupation.
Badran explained that there was an agreement on the Palestinian demands related to ending the war and the brutal aggression, which are: a ceasefire, the complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, relief, and reconstruction.
He pointed out that the most important point of agreement was the formation of a Palestinian national unity government to manage the affairs of our people in Gaza and the West Bank, oversee reconstruction, and prepare the conditions for elections. This was Hamas’ position that it called for and proposed since the early weeks of the battle.
The Head of the National Relations Office in Hamas affirmed that this solution, from our perspective, represents the best and most suitable national solution for the Palestinian situation after the war. It creates a strong barrier against all regional and international interventions that seek to impose realities against the interests of our people in managing Palestinian affairs after the war.
Badran stated that those meeting in Beijing emphasized confronting the occupation’s conspiracies and its ongoing violations in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, attempts to Judaize Islamic and Christian holy sites in the city of Al-Quds, and affirmed their full support for the prisoners and detainees in the enemy’s prisons, who are subjected to brutality and prison conditions that do not meet the minimum human and legal rights.