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The United States is working to create a global narrative that casts itself as a leader in an intergenerational struggle, advancing democracy, peace, and international law, and fighting against the forces of despotism, aggression, and erosion of the rule of law.

The fictional narrative is very different from the facts. While the United States is trying to suppress diplomatic efforts and use the conflict to advance its own economic and hegemonic interests, China, one of the main villains in the American narrative, is driving diplomacy.

China has no negative historical baggage

China is engaging in mediation diplomacy in all three places, as the United States is obstructing diplomacy in Ukraine, refusing to promote diplomacy in the Gaza Strip and using a security arrangement in the greater Middle East to pit two major powers, Saudi Arabia and Iran, against each other.

Since 2006, Hamas in Gaza and Fatah in the West Bank have been divided. Neither the Palestinians nor the peace talks have benefited from this division, and past attempts to bridge the divide have failed. But on July 23, China brokered an agreement between Hamas and Fatah to form a national unity government. Both sides agreed to jointly govern Gaza after the war with Israel ends.

As The Washington Post put it, whether or not the agreement comes to fruition, China’s achievement is “a clear diplomatic victory for Beijing” that “solidifies China’s position as a global mediator.” It is a continuation of China’s rise in influence and diplomatic prowess in a region that until recently was the exclusive preserve of the United States.

This boost is thanks to a growing shift in perceptions of the Middle East. Stephen Zunis, a professor of political science at the University of San Francisco and an expert on the Middle East, highlighted the differences between the United States and Western European countries and China. "The United States and Western European countries have little credibility in the Middle East due to their history of colonialism, support for Israel, support for Arab dictatorships and military intervention," while China "has no such baggage." Zunis said China has been able to use this to advance their economic and diplomatic agenda.