The latest Palestinian-Israeli conflict has lasted four and a half months since its outbreak in October and resulted in nearly 30,000 Palestinian deaths, the destruction of nearly all infrastructure in the Gaza Strip and more than 2 million people left homeless, as well as a severe shortage of food, drinking water and medicine. The humanitarian disaster is intensifying with each passing day.

The possibility of another Trump-style leader in the United States — perhaps even Donald Trump himself — has shaken Europe to its roots. Europe cannot replace American hegemony. Thus, its only course is to accelerate toward “strategic autonomy” to become less dependent on the U.S. security umbrella, which has been in place since World War II.

A New Cold War is not in the interest of either the U.S. or China, particularly given the volatility in the Middle East. In fact, the two nations share common interests in the region, and the threat of widespread conflict should inspire an element of strategic sobriety and tactical cooperation.

While its name symbolizes the unity of three religions, the Abraham Process is not peaceful by nature. The United States should be aware that no successful process can emerge without a resolution of Palestine question, which is at the core of the regional agenda.

America’s actions that are directly detrimental to China’s interests render China’s cooperation in some regions irrelevant. The good news is that China and the U.S. have agreed to strengthen cooperation. But to ensure concrete results, the U.S. needs to do more.

The role of the U.S. and China is pivotal in shaping the potential outcomes of the Israel-Gaza conflict, and while China already supports more balanced developments, Washington should take notes and implement a diplomatic solution that considers the needs of all peoples and communities.

Direct military engagement by the United States and UK against Houthi forces in Yemen is not helping to resolve the crisis. It only encourages the Houthis to dig in deeper in support of the Palestinians against Israel. Resolution of the conflict in Gaza will have a positive effect on the Houthis.

The ongoing fighting between Israel and Palestine has led to soaring tensions in the Middle East, with additional backlash against America’s role in backing Israel’s actions. China seems poised to take this opportunity to enhance its own interests among regional powers.

Given the latest conflict and humanitarian crisis in the middle east, and the risk of the conflict expanding to involve other state actors throughout the region, Nathaniel Schochet and Earl Carr explore the possible opportunities, persistent limitations and the core geostrategic objectives of China’s mediation role in the 2023 Israel-Hamas War and elsewhere.