Chinese FM Wang Yi: Reconciliation of Palestine Internal Issues But Need International Support

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. (Source: Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

JAKARTA - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that reconciliation of factions in Palestine is an internal matter for the country, but needs international support.

This was stated by Foreign Minister Wang Yi, after 14 Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Fatah signed the so-called Beijing Declaration, following a meeting on July 21-23 in the Chinese capital.

The agreement finalized on Tuesday lays the foundation for an "interim national reconciliation government" to govern Gaza after the war, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said.

"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," he said, quoted by Al Jazeera on July 23.

The agreement was signed by long-time rivals Hamas and Fatah, as well as 12 other Palestinian groups. It is a "national unity" agreement aimed at maintaining Palestinian control over Gaza after Israel's war on the enclave ends.

"Today we signed an agreement for national unity and we said that the way to complete this journey is national unity," senior Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk told a news conference in Beijing.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the agreement was "dedicated to the reconciliation and great unity of all 14 factions."

"The core result is that the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) is the sole legitimate representative of all Palestinians," the top Chinese diplomat said, adding that "an agreement has been reached on the post-war governance of Gaza and the establishment of an interim national reconciliation government," according to CNN.

The agreement marks a diplomatic success for Beijing and its growing influence in the Middle East, after brokering a successful peace deal between regional arch-foes Saudi Arabia and Iran last year, Reuters reported.

China has historically been sympathetic to the Palestinian cause and supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It has stepped up its advocacy for Palestine in international forums in recent months, calling for a larger Israeli-Palestinian peace conference.