Beijing Declaration for Palestinian unity earns praise

Various quarters have praised the Beijing Declaration signed by 14 Palestinian factions, applauding China’s role in facilitating the agreement, Xinhua reported.

Hamas called the Beijing Declaration on Ending Division and Strengthening Palestinian National Unity is seen as “an additional positive step” towards achieving Palestinian unity “the ideal and most appropriate national solution” to the ongoing conflict.

UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres “very much welcomes the signing of the Beijing Declaration by the Palestinian factions,” said his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric in response to questions at a regular daily briefing on Tuesday.

Terming the deal as “an important step towards furthering Palestinian unity,” Dujarric said the secretary-general “encourages all factions to overcome their differences through dialogue and urges them to follow up on the commitments that were made in Beijing and the declaration they signed on to.”

In a statement on Tuesday, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that the uniting of various Palestinian factions under the Beijing Declaration is a crucial step toward realising the rights of the Palestinian people.

“It is my sincere hope that this declaration of unity will translate into tangible results on the ground and withstand future challenges,” he said.

The talks in Beijing involved 14 Palestinian factions, thus constituting a basis for ending the division, said Abdel Mohdy Motawe, a Cairo-based researcher and executive director of the Middle East Forum for Strategic Studies and National Security.

It is an important step toward ending the division and strengthening national unity within the framework of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, with the inclusion of all Palestinian forces and factions in its institutions, said Abu Bakr Al-Deeb, an adviser to the Cairo-based Arab Center for Research and Studies.

In a statement, Hossam Badran, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, expressed his “high appreciation for the great efforts made by China to reach this declaration,” noting that this announcement came at an important time as Palestinians are facing an ongoing conflict, especially in the Gaza Strip.

Guterres through Dujarric expressed his appreciation for China’s diplomatic efforts and other countries involved in facilitating the process.

The signing of the declaration represents an “overwhelming success of Chinese diplomacy,” its effectiveness, and China’s desire for rapprochement with the Middle East region and support of Arab issues, with the Palestinian issue as a priority, said Al-Deeb.

It underscores China’s growing diplomatic prowess and increasingly respected and influential role in the Middle East, demonstrating its capability to generate effective solutions, said Baris Doster, an academic with the Istanbul-based Marmara University.

As one of the few countries that pursue the principle of dialogue, talks, and positive steps to heal the rift in the Middle East, China is expected to have a greater and broader role in the Palestinian issue and other Arab issues, said Motawe. 

- Bernama

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