China replaces Russia as main ally of the Palestinians: Impact on the USA | Opinion
By Abraham Shmulevich
The recent agreement signed by 14 so-called Palestinian groups, including major players Fatah (or the Palestine Liberation Organization) and Hamas, as well as 12 other groups, requires closer examination. These groups, except for the PLO and Fatah, do not control any territory and can be considered virtual terrorist organizations. The very concept of "Palestine" is virtual, as there has never been a Palestinian state or a distinct Palestinian people separate from other Arabs. Even the Arabic dialect spoken by Palestinians is not unique.
Historically, the land now called Palestine was part of Jordan or under Egyptian control until the 1967 war. The PLO was created in 1964 with the support of the KGB as a tool against Israel and remained a virtual entity until the Oslo Accords in the 1990s, which granted limited autonomy to Arabs living in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank ), territories occupied by Israel since 1967. This Palestinian Authority (PA) has internal governance, official police forces, and limited diplomatic privileges, always subject to Israeli approval.
In Gaza in 2007, a military coup led by Hamas resulted in the violent expulsion of Fatah representatives. As a result, the Palestinian Authority now governs from Ramallah, while Hamas fully controls Gaza. This division created two separate Palestinian enclaves. The violent power struggle was reminiscent of the events of October 7, when intra-Palestinian conflicts led to casualties and displacements, with some officials fleeing to Israel before being transferred to Ramallah.
Fatah effectively dominates in Ramallah in the West Bank, although Hamas representatives are also present there. Before the start of the war and the deployment of Israeli troops, Hamas completely controlled Gaza, and PLO representatives did not operate there. If they appeared, they would be killed. Besides these groups, there are 12 other organizations, the most famous being Islamic Jihad. All these organizations also feud with each other and do not control any territory.
There is also a Palestinian parliament, which has not held elections for a long time. If elections were held now and were free, Hamas would win, as it is the most popular organization among the residents of the autonomy and the so-called Palestinians. Hamas advocates for the complete destruction of Israel and terrorist methods, which most Arabs in Gaza and the West Bank support.
Therefore, if the elections were fair, Hamas would win, and before destroying Israel, it would destroy the PLO. That's why there are no elections there. Attempts to create some unified representation have been made repeatedly and for a long time.
News about - China replaces Russia as main ally of the Palestinians: Impact on the USA
What could be the consequences? Firstly, it indicates that China is taking the place previously occupied by Russia. We know that China is now active in Central Asia and the South Caucasus. Now it has occupied the virtual platform that Russia occupied for decades since the Soviet Union, being the main "friend" of the Palestinian people. Now China is striving to take on this role, and it has effectively already done so. This is another testament to the subordinate role that Russia is now forced to play in relation to China. It is also an additional trump card for China in its confrontation with the USA, as China's main interest and direction of foreign policy is to build new relationships with the USA that are more beneficial to China. Here they show that they can influence the situation in the Middle East.
From the state's point of view, all these organizations, such as Fatah, virtually do not control any territory, but they have armed units, they can carry out terrorist attacks and exert armed pressure. They can sign some documents on a ceasefire with Israel, for example, and thus achieve a ceasefire in Gaza. This, in turn, would be extremely important for the Democratic administration in the USA, as it could be presented to voters as a victory — the conclusion of a peace agreement between Israel and Palestine. In fact, this means the involvement of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, but if they act as a single bloc, it sounds even more convincing and can be presented in the media as an achievement of the Harris administration. This is a great headline, but the key to this headline now largely lies in Beijing's hands. Beijing can encourage these organizations to conclude such an agreement. The fact that this agreement will be virtual and military actions may resume the day after the presidential election does not matter. Thus, by concluding this agreement, Beijing shows Moscow its place and gains another trump card in the game with the USA.
As for Israel, it views this step as unfriendly on the part of the USA, primarily because Hamas receives international recognition. Hamas is a terrorist Nazi organization engaged in terrorism throughout its existence. Hamas officially, at the level of the declaration of its constitution, advocates for the destruction of the state of Israel, not for peaceful coexistence. If Fatah is at least verbally ready to recognize Israel's right to exist, Hamas advocates for its destruction. It would seem that there is no place for such an aggressive organization on the modern diplomatic arena, and it should be declared outlawed. But the fact that China recognizes them as equals, as Russia did earlier, is an extremely unfriendly act from Israel's point of view.
Israel has levers of influence on China. We have seen that in American politics, Netanyahu's recent visit showed that Israel has great authority in the USA. Israel could take measures against China, but whether it will engage in such a diplomatic war is hard to say. Some Israeli commentators and journalists are already calling for this, but so far it's just talk. Personally, I don't think Israel will actively oppose China, as this episode is actually insignificant. China's position in supporting Arab terrorism has long been known. These are just newspaper headlines, not of serious practical significance. The only thing that may be is an additional trump card in the diplomatic game between China and the USA, using the Palestinian card, but this card is not too significant. There is more talk than real substance in this event.
https://news.az/news/-china-replaces-russia-as-main-ally-of-the-palestinians-impact-on-the-usa
