The leaders of Hamas and Fatah, the dominant party in the Palestinian Authority, signed a declaration in Beijing alongside 12 other Palestinian political factions aimed at ending divisions between the groups. The statement calls for the formation of a unity government to manage the Palestinian territories, as well as a temporary government to oversee Gaza once the Israel-Hamas war ends. (Washington Post & AP)
Our Take
There are two aspects of this development that are worth examining, the first being the declaration itself. The fault lines between Hamas and Fatah have for decades been the biggest obstacle to creating a unified Palestinian government. That has not only been a significant impediment to negotiating toward the creation of a Palestinian state but has also been a convenient excuse for Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to avoid meaningfully engaging with talks toward a two-state solution.
It is notable that Hamas and Fatah signed this declaration, then. But this is also not the first time they have done so—similar deals signed in 2011 and 2022 both failed. It remains to be seen if the war in Gaza has changed the circumstances for the Palestinian movement enough for this to be the deal that is actually implemented.