Senior representatives of Palestinian political factions Fatah and Hamas on Tuesday signed a joint statement aiming at ending divisions and building Palestinian unity to conclude three days of meetings in Beijing.
The agreement signed by 14 Palestinian factions was hailed as a by Chinese state media as a breakthrough and a sign of China’s emerging role as a mediator in faraway conflicts.
Initial reports did not immediately disclose details of what they called the “Beijing declaration” or the full list of Palestinian leaders who took part in negotiations hosted by Wang Yi, the Chinese foreign minister.
But photos from the talks showed Wang talking to Mahmoud al-Aloul, vice chairman of the central committee of Fatah, and Mussa Abu Marzuk, a senior member of Hamas.
An earlier attempt by Beijing to broker talks in April concluded without a joint statement, but the negotiations nevertheless help the Chinese Communist Party portray itself as an international mediator at a time of intense rivalry with the United States, including in the field of diplomacy.
Beijing last year brokered a détente between Iran and Saudi Arabia last year, forcing Washington into the awkward position of applauding a major Middle East accord secured by its main geopolitical rival.
