Yesterday, Israel and Turkey publicized the details of their agreement to restore diplomatic relations. In order to achieve a deal, the two governments had to give up key demands: Ankara’s insistence that Jerusalem end the blockade on Gaza and Jerusalem’s insistence that Ankara expel Hamas from its borders. Yoni Ben Menachem writes:

On issues regarding the Gaza Strip, Hamas and Turkey have been closely collaborating since [2010]. The alliance between them stems from the common ideology of Hamas and Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party, both affiliates of the worldwide Muslim Brotherhood movement. . . . Throughout the talks with Israel on normalizing relations, Turkey constantly updated Hamas and consulted with it. . . .

Hamas is portraying Turkey’s rebuff of Israel’s demand to close Hamas’s office in Istanbul as a [victory]. Although the office will remain open, according to Israeli sources, Turkey promised Israel that the office will instigate no further terror attacks on it.

According to Israeli security officials, it was this office that activated the terror gang that kidnapped and murdered three Israeli teenage boys near Hebron in the summer of 2014, as well as the terror gang that murdered Eitam and Naama Henkin near Nablus at the end of last year. . . .

Hamas officials say that Turkey will play a further role after signing the normalization agreement with Israel. In the next stage, Turkey is supposed to try and mediate a long-term ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, as well as a prisoner exchange in which four Israelis (or their bodies) held by Hamas will be released in return for Palestinian terrorists held by Israel.

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.”