2024年8月7日，上外中东研究所章远研究员在伊朗《德黑兰时报》（Tehran Times）发表评论文章“Finding light on great solidarity in a divided world”（见Tehran Times2024年8月7日第5版），全文如下：
Finding light on great solidarity in a divided world
In a polarized world, there is almost no market for seeking and making friends by putting aside stereotypes and hatred over maintaining absolute security under the pretext of the threat of war. The political ideology behind the security alliance planned by the hegemonic country and its allied countries is to pursue unilateral exclusive security. The result of such alliances and security agreements is often the substitution of one kind of violence for another. Ending one war with another war will not lead to a real long-term peace and prosperity.
In Western academic circles, whether it is the narration of world history or the refinement of international relations theory, the two concepts of the Near East and the Middle East in the original geographical sense are unfriendly and positioned as a place where it is indisarray and a cruel reality. Unfortunately, the Gaza crisis since October 7, 2023, seems to have once again confirmed the above stereotype.
However, division and turmoil should not be the main theme of the Near East and the Middle East. In a world full of uncertainty, peopleneed impartial forces with international credibility to bring about an end to divisions, to restore the path of national unity, to shape international justice based on equity, and to achieve and maintain lasting peace.
The new round of Palestinian-Israeli confl ict that started on October 7, 2023, has lasted for nearly ten months. On July 23, 2024, through China's mediation, 14 Palestinian factions signed “The Beijing Declaration on ending division and strengthening unity”, which emphasized the internal unity of Palestine. The Beijing Declaration signifies a consensus among Palestinian factions to end division and work together towards greater unity and reconciliation.
China's efforts to promote unity in order to bring about a comprehensive and thorough end to the conflict in Gaza have attracted world’sattention.
Internal unity is the key to lasting peace
Bridging internal divisions is the basis for maintaining a stable regional security order. From 21 to 23 July, at the invitation of the Chineseside, 14 factions from Palestine met in Beijing for a reconciliation talk. The Palestinian National Liberation Movement (Fatah), thePalestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and the Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine are all included in the reconciliation talks. Diplomatic envoys to Chinaor their representatives from Egypt, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Russia and Turkey, as well as representatives from 14 main Palestinian factions attended the closing ceremony. The talks voiced a strong call for realizing the independent statehood of Palestine in accordance with relevant United Nations resolutions.
“The Beijing Declaration on ending division and strengthening unity” proposes hosting an international conference with broad participation and full authority. The declaration calls for achieving comprehensive national unity, which would include all Palestinianfactions within the framework of the Palestine Liberation Organization, and establishing an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
Resolving the Palestinian question is central to achieving stability in MENA
Solving the Palestinian issue not only relies on repeatedly emphasizing the basic norms of international relations, but also requires endingthe dilemma of internal division in Palestine, so as to truly realize the right of Palestinian people to self-determination.
The establishment of an independent Palestinian state is a moral obligation. Respecting UN General Assembly Resolution 181, Resolution 2334, and UN Security Council Resolution 242 is an international moral obligation. It is an international moral obligation to establish anindependent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the borders before the outbreak of the 1967 war.
After the outbreak of the Gaza conflict, Israel not only aimed to wipe out Hamas, but also revealed its intention to occupy or control the Gaza Strip for a long time after the war. An independent Palestinian State cannot afford to lose Gaza. Gaza is an integral part of the territory of the State of Palestine. Once the control of Gaza falls into the hands of Israel, it will damage the entire Palestinian national liberation movement.
War is unjust
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was invited to visit the United States, where he delivered a widely protested speech before ajoint session of US Congress on July 25, 2024. Netanyahu's speech, which triggered waves of protests, advocated an anti-Iran 'Abraham Alliance' that continued to peddle a bloody war ideology.
Israel is taking advantage of the Palestinian internal divisions to fragment and dismantle the Palestinian viability in national politics as wellas in regional security. “The Beijing Declaration” is breaking the political conspiracy to fragment Palestine.
Staying away from war, protecting people's lives and safeguarding a country's right to exist are morally fair and international justice, andeven more so, the moral conscience of humanity. War weariness is growing globally, and people are increasingly demanding fairness andjustice. The two-state solution is becoming an international consensus. China adheres to the political philosophy that the destiny of acountry should be in the hands of its own people. A comprehensive national unity which would include all Palestinian factions is theaspiration of the Palestinian people themselves.
Internal and external conditions for national unity are in place
Internal Palestinian reconciliation greatly facilitates the effectiveness of Palestinian-Israeli negotiations. A fragmented and loose regimehas no deterrent effect and no bargaining power in the peace talks.
Since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict, the United Nations, China, the United States, Russia, Egypt and many other countries have been trying to push for a ceasefi re to stop the war. In February 2024, Palestinian factions talked in Moscow around the formation of a new unity government and post-confl ict reconstruction in Gaza, but no real agreement or substantive results were reached.
The inability of the traditional forces to make significant progress has made it urgent for the emerging powers with greater responsibilityand capacity to take on the burden of persuading and facilitating peace talks and preserving regional peace and stability.
In April 2024, China invited Fatah and Hamas to meet in Beijing to find ways to resolve their differences. The convening of the intra-Palestinian reconciliation talks in Beijing on July 21-23 and the issuance of the Beijing Declaration were historic.
Since launching the Global Security Initiative, China has contributed to the Saudi-Iranian approchement, thus proving that China is aresponsible mediator trusted by its Middle East partners and capable of contributing to peace and security in the Middle East. Chinahosted the reconciliation talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia in March 2023.
Genuine reconciliation requires international cooperation
The implementation of the Beijing Declaration requires the full cooperation of the international community. The establishment of an independent, democratic, contiguous, viable and sovereign Palestine is of the utmost importance. For the prosperity and flourishing ofPalestine and the promotion of post-war reconstruction and governance, China and the regional and global powers can join hands to makea difference.
Peace will not happen overnight. It needs to be gradual. Talk of reconciliation reveals hope for a way out of suffering, and unity means thatthere is light ahead. As long as international cooperation is heading in the right direction, it should continue unswervingly.
来源：Tehran Times
（本文观点仅为作者或被访者个人观点，不代表本研究机构立场）
