Even as France, the U.S., and others continue to press Israel to pursue negotiations with Mahmoud Abbas, his political party, Fatah, appears to be on the brink of a schism that could further weaken his authority. Khaled Abu Toameh writes:

Last week, more than half the members of the Fatah Revolutionary Council [one of the organization’s two governing bodies] signed a petition calling for a “correctional revolution” in their faction. . . . The petition, which calls for major reforms in Fatah, is first and foremost directed against Abbas and his old-guard colleagues in the Palestinian leadership.

The petition carries the signatures of several Fatah officials who until recently were considered Abbas loyalists. . . . This challenge joins the one issued [earlier] by several other Fatah officials, who have come out in public against Abbas’s autocratic rule. . . .

Never, in its 50 years of existence, has Fatah been so divided. Some of its top brass have already defected to Hamas and Islamic Jihad. . . .

The “revolution within a revolution” taking place within Fatah ought to set off alarm bells in the international community. Fatah’s extreme weakness casts serious doubt on its ability to deliver peace with Israel and oversee the establishment of a Palestinian state.

On Tuesday, representatives of Hamas met with their counterparts from Fatah—the faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) once led by Yasir Arafat that now governs parts of the West Bank—in Beijing to discuss possible reconciliation. While it is unlikely that these talks will yield any more progress than the many previous rounds, they constitute a significant step in China’s increasing attempts to involve itself in the Middle East on the side of Israel’s enemies.

By contrast, writes Tuvia Gering, Taiwan has been quick and consistent in its condemnations of Hamas and Iran and its expressions of sympathy with Israel:

Support from Taipei goes beyond words. Taiwan’s appointee in Tel Aviv and de-facto ambassador, Abby Lee, has been busy aiding hostage families, adopting the most affected kibbutzim in southern Israel, and volunteering with farmers. Taiwan recently pledged more than half a million dollars to Israel for critical initiatives, including medical and communications supplies for local municipalities. This follows earlier aid from Taiwan to an organization helping Israeli soldiers and families immediately after the October 7 attack.

The reasons why are not hard to fathom:

In many ways, Taiwan sees a reflection of itself in Israel—two vibrant democracies facing threats from hostile neighbors. Both nations wield substantial economic and technological prowess, and both heavily depend on U.S. military exports and diplomacy. Taipei also sees Israel as a “role model” for what Taiwan should aspire to be, citing its unwavering determination and capabilities to defend itself.

On a deeper level, Taiwanese leaders seem to view Israel’s war with Hamas and Iran as an extension of a greater struggle between democracy and autocracy.

Gering urges Israel to reciprocate these expressions of friendship and to take into account that “China has been going above and beyond to demonize the Jewish state in international forums.” Above all, he writes, Jerusalem should “take a firmer stance against China’s support for Hamas and Iran-backed terrorism, exposing the hypocrisy and repression that underpin its vision for a new global order.”