Opinion | After APEC, China and America are working together to contain the Israel-Hamas conflict
By Augustus K. Yeung
The APEC summit in San Francisco may be a watershed – where a man-made storm was followed by a colorful rainbow, symbolically resuscitating, and renewing the strained friendship between President Xi Jinping and Joe Biden, his "old friend".
China and the ambivalent U.S. are now both seriously concerned that innocent people, especially minors are being killed every day in Gaza. Both leaders believe in making international efforts to secure peace – by sending their top officials or Middle East envoys to do continuous mediation work to that effect – by rallying regional support, and by holding talks and visits to stifle violence.
China believes that negotiation is the only way to bring an end to the cycle of violence. It says that the two-state solution is the most eligible way for a just settlement of the Palestinian question.
"Palestinian people must be given the right to establish a nation of their own. To realize the two-state solution requires efforts of the major countries – and the main players in the Middle East. China is doing what it can in this regard." Asserted China Daily.
Given the complicated relations among Arab and Islamic nations, China has tried hard in recent years to mediate among some Islamic countries that have long been at odds with each other. It believes – reconciliation (among Arab and Islamic nations) is a necessary step toward lasting peace in the Middle East and Central Asia – where China has serious security concerns.
The reestablishment of diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, for example, has verified the worthiness of China's efforts to push for lasting peace in the Middle East – which has historically been complicated by America's lop-sided pro-Israeli policy.
China's latest initiative is the hosting of the foreign ministers of some Arab and Islamic countries on Monday and Tuesday to discuss ways to try and at least realize a seize-fire in Gaza and then restore negotiations between Israel and Palestine – for a permanent settlement of the Palestinian question.
Wang Yi, China's FM held talks in Beijing with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Indonesia and Palestine, the deputy prime minister of Jordan and the secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
By hosting talks among the representatives of these major Arab and Islamic countries and the secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation – China hopes to work out a feasible way to prevent an escalation of the conflict – and promote greater efforts to push for a cease-fire. President Xi hopes that a road map will be worked out soon for the materialization of the two-state solution, believing that talks can produce positive outcomes. (Source: MDT/China Daily)
The Biden Administration is also furiously making great efforts to doing the same thing that Xi has been doing and suggesting. But it has not been able to stop the Israeli military from seeking retributive justice.
The U. S., Israel and Qatar, which mediates with Hamas, have been negotiating for weeks – over a hostage release – that would be paired with a temporary cease-fire in Gaza and the entry of more humanitarian aid.
Senior Hamas officials said lately that an agreement could be reached soon – in which the militant group would release hostages – and Israel would free Palestinian prisoners.
However, Israel's army is widening its operations across northern Gaza, where they battled Palestinian militants yesterday – in the densely populated Jabaliya refugee camp, the territory's largest.
The Israeli military said its forces are "preparing the battlefield" in the Jabaliya area, just north of Gaza City, and have killed dozens of militants in recent days. A strike on a nearby hospital killed 12 people as Israeli troops and tanks battled militants outside its gates.
Israel accuses Hamas of using civilians and hospitals as shields, while critics say Israel's siege and relentless aerial bombardment amount to collective punishment – of the territory's 2.3 million Palestinians after Hamas' October 7 rampage into southern Israel.
In a recent meeting with Israeli soldiers Netanyahu echoing Hamas' unofficial announcement, said Israel was making progress, "On the return of the hostages, we are making progress... I hope there will be good news soon."
Meanwhile, an Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon has killed four members of the militant Palestinian group Hamas.
Lebanon's state-run National New Agency confirmed that four people were members of the Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing.
Note: Hamas has a large presence in Lebanon, which is home to tens of thousands of Palestinians, many of them living in the country's 12 refugee camps.
An Israeli strike in southern Lebanon killed two journalists for Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen TV who were reporting on violence along the tense Lebanon-Israel border.
Although the conflict continues, human casualties have been markedly reduced – indicating that concerted big power intervention and mass protests across the world are working – to stop the conflict flaring out into a war.
Conclusively, in this conflict, President Biden's approach is a lot more balanced, humane and visionary than most of the American presidents before him.
On Saturday, October 16 Biden spoke with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – urging the leaders to allow humanitarian aid to the region and affirmed his support for efforts to protect civilians. (Source: MDT/AP)
Biden's Secretary of State Antony Blinken intensified diplomatic outreach across the Middle East and beyond – to rally an international response – to prevent the Israel-Hamas conflict expanding.
The broad U.S. and Chinese efforts reflect the international concern about the number of civilians at risk and the potential ramifications of a prolonged war.
After the APEC summit, one positive sign of U.S.- China cooperation is that Blinken called FM Wang Yi to seek his country's help – in preventing the war from spreading, asking Beijing to use whatever influence it has in the Mideast. The U.S. believes it and China have a shared interest in the region's stability.
Trump viciously created a storm, but Biden and Xi worked concertedly – and they are seeing a rainbow.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of DotDotNews.
To contact the writer, please direct email: AugustusKYeung@ymail.com
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