Hamas confirms participation in meeting with Fatah next week in Beijing

Jul 17. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) has confirmed its participation in a meeting with Fatah and other Palestinian groups to be held on July 20 and 21 in Beijing, the Chinese capital, as a continuation of the dialogue that took place in April in the same city with a view to intra-Palestinian reconciliation.

“The Movement has approached this invitation with a positive spirit and national responsibility because of its desire to achieve the national unity that is due to our Palestinian people and that is worthy of their sacrifices and heroism,” said Husam Badram, a senior official in Hamas’ political wing, in a statement reported by the Palestinian newspaper ‘Filastín’.

He also stressed that this is a “comprehensive national meeting that includes several factions” and that there are no “bilateral meetings” scheduled at the moment, expressing his desire to “move forward based on the results of the previous meeting held in April.”

Neither Fatah nor China have confirmed this meeting so far, although Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said during a press conference that they would “release information in due time if there is any.”

In this regard, he stressed the support shown by Beijing to “achieve reconciliation and unity through dialogue” of the Palestinian factions, showing its willingness “to provide a platform and create opportunities” for this.

The Occupied Palestinian Territories have been politically and territorially divided since 2007, when Hamas took control of Gaza following intra-Palestinian clashes following elections the previous year, which the Islamist group won. Fatah, meanwhile, controls the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which are also occupied by Israel.

The various rounds of talks between the parties for a reconciliation agreement have ended without agreement, although they have received a new impetus following the start of the Israeli offensive against Gaza and the increase in security operations, settler attacks and expansion of settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.