Palestinian Factions Agree to Unite Under PLO After War

Leaders from Hamas, Fatah and 12 other Palestinian factions signed a China-brokered agreement on Tuesday to form an interim unity government for the Palestinian territories after the war in Gaza ends. 

For Context: Fatah largely controls the Palestinian Authority, which has limited administrative control of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Hamas controlled Gaza, at least until the current war began. The two have long been rivals, making their cooperation a significant step towards post-war stability. However, the Israeli government strongly opposes any post-war role for Hamas in Gaza; Israeli foreign affairs minister Israel Katz accused Palestinian Authority and Fatah co-founder Mahmoud Abbas of embracing “the murderers and rapists of Hamas.” The move also marks a foreign policy win for China, which has sought to position itself as an alternative to U.S. global leadership. 

The Details: The “core outcome” of the agreement, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said, was that “the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) is the sole legitimate representative of all Palestinian people.” While the declaration calls for the formation of a unity government overseeing the West Bank, Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip and eventually holding elections, it does not set a timeframe for forming the new government. 

How the Media Covered It: Coverage was common but not always prominently featured, sometimes displaying the usual divides on Israel and Palestine. However, sources across the spectrum cited experts who were skeptical of the deal, noting that previous unity efforts had failed.