His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, today held an Arab ministerial coordination meeting to discuss developments in the crisis in Palestine.
His Excellency also participated in the meeting of Arab foreign ministers with His Excellency Mr. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations.
In this context, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, in a speech before the United Nations General Assembly meeting on the situation in the Middle East and the Palestinian issue, said that the dangerous situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, especially the situation in occupied Jerusalem and the bombing of the Gaza Strip. With lethal weapons on defenseless civilians and their homes, which led to the death of dozens, including women and children, it calls for the international community to take urgent action to stop the Israeli attacks on the Palestinian people and the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and prevent their recurrence and the need to respect the Hashemite guardianship of the sisterly Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan over Al-Aqsa Mosque.
He added, “The State of Qatar has repeatedly warned of the danger of Judaization policies in the city of Jerusalem, and attempts to harm Islamic and Christian sanctities, especially the Holy Mosque,” noting that despite warnings and widespread condemnation by the international community in recent months for the attack by the Israeli authorities and settlers against Palestinian residents of Jerusalem and the seizure of their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. The pace of Judaization and settlement has increased to a stage that can only be described as ethnic cleansing against the Palestinians, and the occupation forces have repeatedly stormed the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and intimidated worshipers without any regard for the sanctity of the blessed month of Ramadan, which is what It fueled the situation.
His Excellency affirmed that the State of Qatar has renewed its total rejection, condemnation and condemnation of the Israeli police and settlers’ attacks on Jerusalemites in the Bab al-Amud area of the Holy Haram, and the use of violence against defenseless civilians and the setting up of barriers to rob them of their religious rights, and the Israeli occupation forces stormed the courtyards of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and brutally assaulted worshipers, no doubt. These unlawful practices, many of which amount to war crimes, constitute a provocation to the feelings of millions of Muslims around the world and a flagrant violation of human rights, international covenants, religious laws and human values.
“In light of the recent unfortunate developments, we stress the need to adhere to international humanitarian law, protect civilians, and not to target civilians and civilian targets using excessive and disproportionate force,” he said.
He said, “In this regard, the State of Qatar condemns the indiscriminate Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip during the past days, which resulted in the deaths of civilians and injuries, especially the attack on the Beach camp, which killed dozens of civilians, including 10 people from one family, and the continued targeting of the towers. The State of Qatar affirms its strong condemnation and condemnation of the targeting of the Qatar Red Crescent building in the Gaza Strip, and also affirms that targeting humanitarian and media institutions is a flagrant violation of international law, norms and human values.
His Excellency Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani added: “We wonder strongly when the international community will move to achieve international legitimacy and fairness to the Palestinian people and deter Israel from its unilateral arbitrary policies through its attempt to Judaize the honorable Jerusalem, change its demographic composition, the continuation of settlement policies, violate the sanctity of holy places and continue the unjust blockade. For the Gaza Strip. “
His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, affirmed that the failure of the Security Council to achieve international legitimacy in its correct sense regarding the Palestinian issue loses confidence in the credibility of the United Nations in achieving its main goal, which is to achieve international peace and security, and called on the international community to work hard. It bears its responsibility to provide protection to the Palestinian people in an urgent and immediate manner, to stop Israeli attacks and all illegal practices, and to ensure that the Palestinian people obtain all their legitimate rights, including the practice of their religious rites.
He said, “We have repeatedly noted the danger of the deterioration of the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, and that this should be an impetus to accelerate the pace towards achieving a just, lasting and comprehensive peace settlement of the Palestinian issue through negotiations between the two parties based on the foundations of sustainable peace that have become known to all, which is commitment to the principle of the two-state solution.” According to international law and international legitimacy resolutions represented by the United Nations, and in accordance with the Arab and Quartet peace initiative, leading to the establishment of the Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, and a just solution to the refugee issue.
He explained that the position of the State of Qatar has been and will always be to support all sincere international efforts to achieve real progress towards a permanent settlement of the Middle East issue. In the wake of the current events, the State of Qatar, based on its firm policy of the need to settle disputes and differences by peaceful means, including through dialogue and mediation, has made intensive diplomatic efforts to reduce the escalation in Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, in coordination with the United Nations and international and regional actors. He said, “The State of Qatar appreciates and supports the appreciated efforts made by brotherly and friendly countries in pursuit of de-escalation and achieving sustainable de-escalation in the occupied Palestinian territories, especially the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Republic of Tunisia, a non-permanent member of the Security Council, and the United States of America.”
His Excellency stressed the importance of achieving the desired goals of our meeting today through the need for serious engagement of the international community, especially the active states, to achieve sustainable peace in the Middle East region, which requires the immediate cessation of attacks on Islamic and Christian sanctities and the stopping of displacement and settlement operations and policies in all occupied lands and not subjecting the settlement decision to associations. Extremist efforts, as happened in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, as well as stopping the bombing, ending the war on the Gaza Strip, and rapidly joining efforts to rebuild the Strip by the international community, and international humanitarian and development institutions.
He pointed out that the current events should be a new incentive for the international community to work more seriously towards achieving a just, comprehensive and permanent settlement of the Palestinian issue and the establishment of the Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital on the 1967 borders in accordance with the two-state solution, international legitimacy decisions, and the Arab and international peace initiative, which puts a final end to recurrence. Such unfortunate developments will positively affect peace, security and stability in the Middle East and the world.
His Excellency renewed the expression of Qatar’s solidarity with the brotherly Palestinian people in their steadfastness and just struggle, and reiterated its firm position on the justice of the Palestinian cause and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
His Excellency thanked His Excellency the President of the United Nations General Assembly for convening this urgent formal meeting to address a very urgent and serious issue that needs an appropriate and immediate response by the General Assembly and the rest of the international community. He also thanked the Secretary-General of the United Nations for his adequate briefing.
