Chinese President Seeks to Exploit Israel-Hamas War
Wondering what the world would be like if it was led by China? Look no further than President Xi Jinping’s two-faced approach to the ongoing Hamas-Israel war. Jinping says he supports calls for a ceasefire in Gaza but has refused to condemn the Hamas terrorists for their last month’s attack on Israel. He understands a ceasefire is beneficial to Hamas and also a massive crowdpleaser among Middle Eastern countries.
China adopted a similar approach to the Russia-Ukraine war, claiming to advocate for peace while deepening its ties with Russia.
What Jinping Hopes to Achieve in Ongoing Crisis
Jinping aims to exploit the current crisis to undermine the US while promoting China’s global ambitions. To this end, the Chinese President avoids blaming the troublemaker and points fingers at the United States for the disorder caused, then presents himself as a responsible peacemaker.
Since the fight started, the Chinese government has not condemned Hamas in any of its statements. Instead, it has blamed the United States’ “biased” policies in the Middle East for causing conflict between Palestine and Israel.
China has continued to take a hard stance against Israel as the IDF intensifies its fight with Hamas in Gaza. Chinese Foreign Minister recently said that Israel’s response was no longer self-defense. Moreover, the Chinese ambassador to the United Nations demanded the Jewish State lift its siege on Gaza without even demanding Hamas release the 240 hostages.
China Criticizes Western Leaders
China has also called out Western leaders for what it labels as double standards in their approach to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Beijing claims these leaders condemned Russia for targeting civilian buildings in Ukraine but have failed to hold Israel accountable for the same. Although China is trying to portray itself as the Palestinians’ rights defender, it has been accused of engaging in human rights abuse against Muslims in Xinjiang.
China’s leadership hopes that siding with Palestinians will help the country forge good relations with the Arab world. However, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, Jonathan Fulton, says China’s effort to sell itself in the Middle East as a safe haven to all countries oppressed by the US may fail, claiming it does not have that capacity yet.
