Chairman of Qatar Media Corporation and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al Jazeera Media Network H E Sheikh Hamad bin Thamer Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Fund for Development H E Sheikh Thani bin Hamad Al Thani, President of Somalia H E Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran H E Abbas Araghchi, with other officials during the 17th Al Jazeera Forum in Doha yesterday.
Doha, Qatar: The 17th edition of the Al Jazeera Forum opened in Doha yesterday under the theme “The Palestinian Cause and the Regional Balance of Power in the Context of an Emerging Multipolar World,” with wide participation from decision-makers, experts, and media professionals from around the world.
The opening session of the three-day forum was attended by Chairman of Qatar Media Corporation and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al Jazeera Media Network H E Sheikh Hamad bin Thamer Al-Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Fund for Development H E Sheikh Thani bin Hamad Al-Thani, President of Somalia H E Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran H E Abbas Araghchi, and Head of the Directorate of Communications of Türkiye H E Burhanettin Duran, alongside several senior officials, dignitaries, and guests.
In his opening address, Sheikh Hamad bin Thamer Al-Thani emphasised that the forum is being held at an exceptionally sensitive moment marked by accelerating regional and international transformations and a growing number of fundamental questions shaping the global landscape.
Chairman of Qatar Media Corporation and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al Jazeera Media Network H E Sheikh Hamad bin Thamer Al-Thani speaking during the event.
He noted that the forum’s theme reflects a new reality in which power intersects with law, and where the region faces mounting challenges amid changing international trajectories.
Sheikh Hamad explained that the value of the forum lies not only in the gathering of participants, but also in the depth and seriousness of the discussions it promotes. He stressed that major global issues cannot be addressed through narrow perspectives or simplistic approaches, but instead require balanced analysis and intellectual and moral courage to pave the way for wiser future choices.
Addressing the Palestinian cause, Sheikh Hamad highlighted the profound transformations it has undergone during the two-year Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, noting that these developments have placed the issue at a decisive crossroads.
He said Israel is seeking to reoccupy Gaza, displace its population or expand settlement activity in parts of it, in addition to annexing what remains of the West Bank, as part of attempts to liquidate the Palestinian cause and eliminate any possibility of establishing a Palestinian state.
At the same time, he affirmed that the war has returned the Palestinian cause to the forefront of global political, media, and diplomatic attention after years in which it had receded behind what he described as unjust settlements and agreements.
He added that the genocide in Gaza has generated unprecedented global concern, and that the sacrifices of the Palestinian people have ignited a wide international solidarity movement, making recognition of the Palestinian state a growing global demand across both East and West.
Sheikh Hamad noted that hosting the forum represents a natural extension of Al Jazeera’s mission as a platform that guarantees the public’s right to knowledge, offers an open space for responsible dialogue, and connects news with its broader context and implications.
He recalled the significant sacrifices made by the network in the pursuit of truth, pointing out that several Al Jazeera correspondents have been killed in Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Libya, and Yemen for conveying the truth to the world. He described the situation in Gaza as the most prominent example of the dangers journalists face in conflict zones.
President of Somalia H E Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
The President of Somalia said that what has been witnessed in Gaza represents an unprecedented level of inhumane conduct in world history.
He stressed that the Palestinian issue must remain an international priority, warning that without a just, legal, and durable solution based on the two-state framework long advocated by the international community, instability would continue to recur and further endanger fragile regional stability and progress.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran H E Abbas Araghchi
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran called on the international community to affirm the end of occupation, uphold the right of return and compensation in accordance with international law, and support the establishment of a unified and independent Palestinian state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. He stressed that the humanitarian crisis must be treated as an urgent international responsibility and warned against normalising collective punishment. He also called for regional coordination to protect sovereignty and deter aggression.
Head of the Directorate of Communications of Türkiye Burhanettin Duran said Gaza represents the starkest manifestation of insecurity, marked by mass devastation, deep trauma, genocide, and humanitarian collapse.
He emphasised that regional and Gulf actors possess decisive tools, including diplomatic leverage, reconstruction capacity, mediation channels, and consensus-building authority. He stressed the need to unite around two non-negotiable principles: bringing the war to an end and preventing any form of displacement.
