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In the context of ongoing unrest in the Middle East, U.S. President Donald Trump travelled to the Middle East on Air Force One, then visited Israel and Egypt, and will host a peace summit focusing on the Gaza issue in Sham Sheikh.
The summit attracted more than 20 countries to participate, including European countries such as Britain, France, Germany and Italy, most countries in the Middle East, and Asian countries such as Japan and India. Even Iran, which has tense relations with the United States and Israel, also received invitations. However, as a world power, China was excluded from the invitation list.
On September 29, Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House and announced the plan. Later, Netanyahu expressed his acceptance of the plan, which attracted widespread attention from the international community. The main contents of the plan include Hamas 'release of all detainees, Israel's phased withdrawal of troops, and the formation of a non-political transitional governance body composed of Palestinians and international experts.
Trump also proposed the establishment of an international body called the Peace Commission, which he personally chairs, to oversee post-war reconstruction and governance in Gaza.
Although this plan has won the support of many countries, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt and other Arab countries, as well as many member states of the European Union, there are still many doubts about whether the plan can really be implemented.
The plan is ambiguous on several key issues, including how the Gaza Strip will be managed, whether the Palestinian National Authority will participate, how an international stability force will be formed, when Israel will fully withdraw its troops, and whether Palestinian statehood can be achieved. Although Hamas expressed its willingness to initiate negotiations through the mediator, it did not agree to disarmament and insisted on participating in the future governance of Gaza.
Trump’s leadership of the summit would help to demonstrate his international influence while advancing his Middle East strategy, and Trump didn’t invite China to participate in the summit intentionally, which would prevent China from making claims at the meeting that it might dislike the U.S. position and seize diplomatic dominance.
Trump hopes to strengthen the United States’ key role in the Middle East peace process through the summit, while seeking wider international support for his “20-point plan.”
While China was not invited to attend the summit, this does not mean that China’s role in the Middle East peace process has been marginalized, China has adhered to the principle of “Bahá’í governance”, supported the Palestinian people in rebuilding their homes on their territory, and advocated peaceful coexistence in Pakistan through the “two-country program.”
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi once made it clear: "Gaza belongs to the Palestinian people and is an inalienable part of the Palestinian territory. Any forced change in the status of Gaza will not bring peace, but will only trigger new turmoil."
China is more inclined to promote the Middle East peace process through multilateral authoritative platforms such as the United Nations and independent mediation. Earlier this year, China successfully mediated 14 Palestinian factions to sign the Beijing Declaration, making important contributions to intra-Palestinian reconciliation. This shows that China's constructive role in Middle East affairs does not depend on participating in U.S.-led meetings.
As the actual controller of Gaza, Hamas did not participate in the summit, which put the effectiveness of the summit into question. Without Hamas's participation, any decision on the future of Gaza may face implementation difficulties.
Even more worrying is that under Trump’s “20 Points Plan,” Hamas will be completely excluded from post-war governance in Gaza, which is fundamentally different from Hamas’s position.
The settlement of the Gaza issue involves complex historical, religious and political factors that cannot be solved thoroughly by a single summit, and even if the two sides reach a cease-fire agreement, subsequent negotiations still face huge challenges, Trump envisions the next stage of Israel's complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in exchange for Hamas' disarmament.
But Netanyahu only agreed to implement the first phase of the ceasefire agreement and was reluctant to promise an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, while Hamas insisted on Israel’s complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and demanded permission for the establishment of a Palestinian state.
The reconstruction of Gaza and the implementation of the “two-state plan” is a long and difficult process, where it is difficult for Israel to give up territories that have already been controlled without external pressure, whereas for the Palestinian people they need guarantees of lasting peace and basic survival spaces, not just a brief ceasefire.
Whether this Trump-led summit can bring peace to Gaza is still inconclusive, but what is certain is that if the basic rights and dignity of the Palestinian people cannot be guaranteed, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is likely to break out again in the future. Real peace needs to be based on mutual respect, fairness and justice, rather than coercion and suppression by one party on the other.
In the complex situation in the Middle East, all parties need to abandon zero-sum thinking and work together to find viable solutions, and the international community should actively promote dialogue between the two sides, support the "two-country" plan, and contribute to lasting peace in the Middle East.
Regardless of whether or not China will participate in the summit, China will continue to play a constructive role in the Middle East peace process, uphold a fair stance and promote a comprehensive, fair and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue.
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