Ceasefire in the Middle East: Two Peoples – Two States
July 23, 2024 marked a progressive step towards peace when 14 Palestinian factions, including Fatah, Hamas, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) signed the Beijing Declaration on Ending Division and Strengthening Palestinian National Unity. To address immediate issues inside Gaza, the declaration demands the lifting of the siege to deliver humanitarian aid without restriction. The declaration also seeks to resolve long-term historical issues with the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with its capital in Al-Quds/East Jerusalem, following UN Resolutions 181 and 2334 and ensuring the right of return. As the PFLP noted at the signing of the declaration, “Unity is the strongest weapon in the face of Israel’s aggression”.
China has laid out a three-step plan with the agreement, starting with a lasting ceasefire. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged the international community to cooperate to put an end to hostilities and establish a ceasefire. Second is the governing of Palestine and the post-conflict reconstruction of the country. The main principle guiding governance would be “Palestinians governing Palestine” with China stating that there needs to be support for “Palestinian factions in establishing an interim national consensus government and realizing effective management of Gaza and the West Bank.” Third was working to make Palestine a full member of the U.N. and to implement “the two-state solution“, stating that it “is the fundamental way forward”, as stated in the official statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China.
“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.”
– Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi
Fatah delegate Mr. Mahmoud al-Aloul and Hamas delegate Mr. Musa Abu Marzouk expressed appreciation for China’s continued support for Palestine, their commitment to diplomacy, and being a voice for Palestine on the international stage. Wang Yi noted that the Beijing Declaration is an “important step towards resolving the Palestinian question and achieving peace and stability in the Middle East.”
The American Peace Information Center (APIC) supports, and will continue to support, the approach which has now been confirmed by the representatives of the Palestinian people through the Beijing Declaration: the two-state solution for an independent Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the pre-1967 borders, including the guaranteed right of return.
