China voices support for Palestinian factions meeting
China on Tuesday expressed willingness to facilitate "reconciliation" between rival Palestinian factions, after Fatah said its officials would meet in Beijing with Hamas counterparts. Hamas later said it would be attending talks in the Chinese capital at what it called an "expanded factional meeting" this weekend. "The movement responded with a positive spirit and national responsibility," official Hossam Badran said in a statement. Hamas was "keen on achieving national unity worthy of our Palestinian people... especially in light of the Al-Aqsa Flood battle," he added, using the militant group's name for its October 7 attack on Israel that set off the Gaza war. Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said Beijing had "always supported all sides in Palestine to achieve reconciliation and unity through dialogue and negotiation". China, he said, was "willing to develop dialogue and reconciliation, provide a platform and create opportunities for all sides on the Palestine issue". "China is willing to strengthen communication with all parties and work hard to realise the aim of Palestine's domestic reconciliation," he added. The two Palestinian groups have been bitter rivals since Hamas fighters ejected Fatah from the Gaza Strip after deadly clashes that followed Hamas' resounding victory in a 2006 election. Several reconciliation bids have failed.  But calls have grown since the Hamas October attack and nine-month war in Gaza, with violence also soaring in the West Bank, where Fatah is based. China hosted Fatah and Hamas in April but a meeting scheduled for June was postponed. China advocates for a two-state solution between the Palestinians and Israel. (AFP)