On July 23, the Beijing Declaration was signed by representatives of various Palestinian factions, including the dominant groups Hamas and Fatah, signifying a crucial step towards addressing longstanding divisions within Palestinian politics.
However, this dawn of peace was being blotted out as the top leader of Hamas was killed by Israel.
Since the conflict between Palestine and Israel broke out on October 7, 2023, as of August 2024, more than 38,000 people have been killed in the conflict.
Under the circumstances, the Israeli government slammed the Beijing Declaration strongly and lambasted Fatah for the agreement.
Here comes the question: Why does Israel insist on pursuing war?
Israeli soldiers are seen during an Israeli raid near the northern West Bank city of Tubas, in June 2024. (Photo by Nidal Eshtayeh/Xinhua)
The current Middle East situation
According to Mehr News Agency (MNA), Iran released the results of the Haniyeh assassination investigation on August 3. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also emphasized that it would avenge the blood of Haniyeh, adding that Israel would definitely face severe punishment at the appropriate time and place.
On the same day Haniyeh was killed, the Israeli military said it carried out a "precision strike" in Beirut on July 30 that killed Fuad Shukr. On August 4, Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets at Israel in response to Israel's attack.
"China condemns all acts that harm civilians. We are deeply concerned about the current situation and call on relevant parties to remain calm, exercise restraint, and avoid further escalation," said Lin Jian, the spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs when responding to questions about the assassination of Haniyeh.
Destroyed buildings in the Gaza Strip, as seen from Israel's southern border with the Gaza Strip. (Photo by Gil Cohen Magen/Xinhua)
Will Israel end the conflict actively?
In fact, Netanyahu plays a key role in the ceasefire negotiations between the two countries; however, he has never even contemplated ending the war since the conflict erupted.
During Netanyahu's state visit to the US in late July, he delivered a speech at the US Congress, urging the US to provide military aid and expressing his intentions to continue the war. However, while Netanyahu was yelling in the US, half of the population in Israel said "No" to the conflict.
So why does the Netanyahu government insist on pursuing war?
As Netanyahu once said, "Only by turning Beirut into Gaza can Israel expect 20 years of peace." Their ultimate goal is to completely disarm Hamas and then seize more land.
The Israeli military operation has lasted for more than half a year, and Netanyahu's approval rating has remained around 32%.
According to Israeli law, the wartime cabinet must be dissolved after the war, and he is likely to resign due to the loss of popular support. Due to legal charges of corruption, coupled with the tradition of holding wartime prime ministers accountable in the past, Netanyahu can only prolong the war in order to evade responsibility and preserve his power.
Relatives mourn over the body of a Palestinian at a funeral at the al-Am'ari refugee camp (Photo by Nidal Eshtayeh/Xinhua)
Calling for a ceasefire
With Israel's excessive killings and the deteriorating situation in Gaza, it has now sparked widespread disapproval among the international community.
Some Western countries have shifted from supporting Israel to calling for a ceasefire and standing with Palestine.
The top UN court says Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal. Australia, New Zealand, and Canada called for an International Court of Justice response from a ceasefire, and Spain, Ireland, and Norway have recognized Palestinian statehood.
On August 9, a US National Security Council spokesman rebuked the Israeli finance minister as "dead wrong" amid the push for ceasefire talks.
According to CNN's report on the 27th, a group of 45 American physicians and nurses who volunteered in hospitals across Gaza have sent an open letter to US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. They "wish you could hear the cries and screams our consciences will not let us forget" and strongly urge the Biden administration to halt military aid to Israel until a permanent peace ceasefire agreement is in place.
Dong Manyuan, a Research Fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, also said, "The forces that support peace are strengthening. In other words, support for Palestinian statehood has expanded from the vast Arab countries and developing countries in the past to some Western countries. Therefore, the forces supporting the two-state solution and the establishment of a Palestinian state have become stronger."
Reporter | Jersey, Peng Shengjie(intern), Zhan Manqi(intern)
Editor | Steven, Nina, James
