Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated by Israel in Iran on Tuesday night, just a week after signing the so-called “Beijing Declaration”. This targeted killing of Haniyeh, the highest-ranking Hamas political official since the Hamas war began, has drawn global attention.
Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies and the Mitvim Institute, mentioned in an interview with Dajiyuan that the Palestinian Unity Declaration announced last week in Beijing itself had no real significance. He stated that Beijing is not an honest mediator and cannot play a role in the past or future, so the assassination of Haniyeh has no impact on the declaration.
On Wednesday, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned this assassination. Major Chinese portals like Baidu, Sogou, and 360 Encyclopedia have turned Haniyeh’s entries into grey, similar to the treatment given to deceased leaders of the Chinese government.
Michael pointed out that China’s official response is ridiculous, as Beijing’s involvement in the Middle East is driven by self-interest. China seeks to be seen as an important player but lacks influence over actual issues in the region.
A Chinese netizen mocked the situation on Weibo, sarcastically stating, “Just as mainland media and Bilibili bloggers were praising how powerful the ‘Beijing Declaration’ is and how China (the CCP) is winning, suddenly the Hamas leader was assassinated in Iran.”
The invitation extended by China led to the gathering in Beijing from July 21 to 23 where representatives from 14 Palestinian factions, including Haniyeh, signed the symbolic “Beijing Declaration” aimed at ending Palestinian division and strengthening national unity. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a separate meeting with Haniyeh.
Since Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7 last year, resulting in 1,200 deaths and sparking conflict in Gaza, the situation has entered its 10th month with ongoing tensions.
According to Palestinian health authorities, Israel’s military actions have caused over 39,000 deaths in the Gaza Strip, without specifying how many were combatants.
China has not actively engaged in the Palestinian issue in the past and has not explicitly condemned Hamas terrorist attacks following the Israel-Hamas conflict. However, after Haniyeh’s assassination, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a strong statement against Israel.
Michael explained that this stance is due to China’s ideological opposition to the United States, refusing to accept American leadership or the international order based on US dominance.
He stated, “Therefore, they aim to intervene anywhere, in any conflict zone, in a very Chinese manner. They seek allies and support participants who ultimately disrupt or damage US interests. Beijing believes that supporting Hamas aligns with its broader interests in the international order. If they can damage US interests in the Middle East and tarnish America’s reputation in the region, it would enhance their own position and weaken America’s influence in other areas.”
In the Israel-Hamas conflict, what is Beijing’s true agenda? Michael suggested that China hopes Hamas will remain in power to weaken American influence based on its strategic calculations.
The White House stated on Wednesday that the US government believes that escalation is neither inevitable nor imminent, and its focus remains on preventing the conflict from escalating further.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed that Israel did not notify the US before eliminating Haniyeh. He reiterated that the US remains committed to achieving a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Michael’s analysis suggests that Beijing may continue supporting Hamas, attempting to push for a ceasefire based on Hamas’s conditions or enabling Hamas to maintain ceasefire as the sovereign authority in the Gaza Strip.
“Beijing cannot be considered an honest mediator; it simply is not a mediator. It has been ineffective and will continue to be so in the future,” Michael emphasized.
Some Israeli political experts suggest that the killing of Haniyeh may ease tensions in the region, providing space for the Netanyahu government to cease hostilities with Hamas as a significant portion of the Hamas leadership has been successfully removed.
The Israeli military confirmed on Thursday that they had killed Hamas’s top military commander Mohammed Deif in an airstrike in July. Deif was the mastermind behind the October 7 attack and is the third high-ranking Hamas member declared dead by Israel within 48 hours.
Later on Thursday, Hezbollah launched missile attacks against Israel. Iran and Hamas have declared their intention to retaliate for Haniyeh’s death.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, in a televised address on Wednesday night, declared that Israel faces challenging days ahead and vowed to respond to any further attacks from Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, or Houthi forces.
Netanyahu stated, “Israel will punish any form of aggression from any territory.”
According to Michael, Israel carefully considered potential reprisals from Iran, Hezbollah, and Iranian proxies before carrying out the operation to eliminate Haniyeh, mindful of the potential for broader conflict in the Middle East.
He emphasized that these actions and strategies were calculated to further bolster Israel’s deterrence in the region, showcasing Israel’s resolve, intelligence capabilities, and confidence in addressing full-scale warfare.