Beijing – China’s foreign ministry welcomed on Thursday a unity pact agreed between the Gaza-based Islamist group Hamas and President Mahmoud Abbas’ Palestine Liberation Organisation, saying Beijing hoped this would help peace talks with Israel.
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While the United States said it was disappointed by the deal, which it said could make peace efforts difficult, China said it regarded the move positively.
China “believes this will be conducive to Palestinian unity, and fundamentally conducive to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and peaceful coexistence between Israel and Palestine”, foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a daily news briefing.
The Palestinian move, after years of internal bickering, envisions a unity government being formed within five weeks and national elections six months later.
Qin said that with talks between the Israelis and Palestinians “at a crossroads”, both sides should “abandon their prejudices” and meet each other half way to reach an agreement.
“China has always believed that peaceful talks are the only way for there to be peace between Israel and Palestine,” he said.
The United States, Israel and the European Union view Hamas, as a terrorist organisation.
Following the Palestinian announcement, Israel canceled a session of U.S.-brokered talks with the Palestinians that had been scheduled for Wednesday night in Jerusalem.
Hamas has battled Israel, which it refuses to recognize, while Abbas’ Fatah party has remained in control of the Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank and pursued years of fruitless talks with Israel.
China has traditionally kept a low profile in Middle East diplomacy despite its reliance on oil imports from the region, though it is keen to demonstrate its role as a force in international politics.
This month, China’s President Xi Jinping urged Israel to make “brave” decisions on the latest round of peace talks with the Palestinians, after negotiators ended another U.S-mediated session with no sign of a breakthrough.
Last year, Xi met both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, urging them to revive discussions.
The Chinese are right about one thing. Without Hamas, nothing any Palestinian says or signs has any meaning at all. It is best for everyone that Israel and the US do not make deals with the empty suit and tie that is Abbas. He should be left alone to entertain visiting Rabbis from Manhattan.
China chemicals has already purchased giant fertilizer chemical Co Agam Machtishim Israel for a few billion dollars, and dairy giant Bright Dairy China is in talks to purchase israel dairy giant Tenuva for a few billion dollars! In order to stabilize and neutralize peace in the middle east Israel should sell the entire country to China for a few trillion dollars as a package deal and model it after the China/Hong Kong model of one country, two systems! China will then protect its investment but sending in a million troops to safeguard it’s newly acquired entity!
The Draft in Israel can then become voluntary thus alleviating all the divides between various groups.
We can then fly the Israel and China flags on all public buildings. If any Arab state does not want to recognize the one country two systems they can talk it over with Beijing who has billions of dollars of bilateral trade agreements with all is Arab neighbors globally! China can also Institute capital punishment for murder.
This arrangement would bring stability and everlasting peace to the region since China has a proven track record over the last centuries of its respect and honor of the Jewish people and it’s rich heritage and culture. THEY can stabilize the region for eternity strictly based on a business and economic model of one country two systems!