Rivals Hamas and Fatah to meet in Beijing amidst Gaza war
Senior officials from rival Palestinian groups Hamas and Fatah agreed to meet in Beijing during July for a renewed bid for reconciliation, The New Arab and agencies reported on July 16th.
The representatives will meet with Chinese officials on July 20th and July 21st, Fatah’s central committee deputy secretary general Sabri Saidam said. The goal “is to end the state of division with a commitment to past agreements and agreeing on a relationship between the Palestinian groups in the next stage.”
Qatar-based political chief Ismail Haniyeh will represent Hamas, while deputy head Mahmud Alul will represent Fatah.
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China previously hosted both groups in April. The country has positioned itself neutrally on the Israel-Palestine conflict, advocating for a two-state solution while also maintaining ties with Israel.
The groups have been rivals since Hamas ejected Fatah from the Gaza Strip in 2007. While Hamas governs Gaza, Fatah controls the Palestinian Authority, which has partial administrative control in the West Bank.
Efforts by Arab countries to reconcile the two groups have failed, yet calls for reconciliation bids have grown during Israel’s nine-month war on Gaza.
Saidam’s announcement follows recent remarks from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who blamed Hamas for the continuation of the war.
The New Arab and agencies
