China has recently proposed to mediate the resolution of the crisis between Israel and Palestine. According to multiple sources including the BBC, the officials of the Chinese foreign ministry have in the meantime talked to the foreign ministry officials of both Israel and Palestine a few days ago and proposed its intention to mediate the resolution of the Israel-Palestine crisis. Chinese mediation proposal calls for both parties “to immediately stop military and hostile actions and puts emphasis on holding peace talks between the parties. This is definitely a praiseworthy move and may help — even if China’s efforts are not different from other mediators — end the Israel-Palestine crisis.
Definitely, the Israel-Palestine crisis, which began in 1948 when the state of Israel appeared as an independent country with the 1947 UN Partition Plan that separates Israel and Palestine as two countries but which has subsequently become complicated because of the wars between Israel and several Arab countries and the annexation of Israel to Palestine territories, is one of the world’s most difficult crises. Many peace efforts have been made to resolve the Israel-Palestine crisis so far. The Oslo Accords I and II, signed in 1993 and 1995 respectively, were among the most important and promising peace efforts that aimed to resolve the crisis with a two-state solution. The UN, the US and several other parties have made efforts to end the crisis.
Peace efforts have helped end conflicts several times and reach ceasefires between the countries but their main aim — the resolution of the crisis — has remained unachieved thus far, despite the continuation of the efforts for several decades. Under such a context, it may be difficult for any party including China to mediate the resolution of the crisis successfully. But it may not be surprising altogether if China, which has become successful in mediating and restoring diplomatic ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia, bitter rivals for decades, with its diplomatic prowess and non-alignment with any party which was absent in other mediating parties, successfully mediates, brings Israel and Palestine to the negotiating table and helps reach an acceptable solution.
But there are geopolitical, territorial and other challenges to the mitigation of the crisis by the mediation of China. The present territories of both countries do not reflect the territorial demarcation that was decided in 1948. The most significant trouble at present is the continued construction of Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory. Among others, differing expectations among/between the parties may also put significant challenges. Definitely, the challenges need to be resolved to be successful in resolving the crisis, even if China has the advantage over other mediators because of its no record of anti-Semitism, which is sensitive to Israel, stability of the leadership and no record of a pre-emptive war and territorial control in the Arab region.
The mediation of the crisis between Israel and Palestine is definitely one of the most challenging mediation tasks in the world for any party. But China needs to continue its efforts and hold talks between the Arab parties and all the concerns with the crisis need to be addressed in its solution. The conflicting parties need to be earnest. A good intention of the global powers including the United States, an important party in the Middle East peace process, is imperative to ending the crisis with the mediation of China.
Amir M Sayem
Chief Editor
Dhaka Opinion Magazine
