Doha: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani has said that the Two State Solution Conference reflects a collective international will to translate words into actions and to make a serious contribution to advancing the path of a peaceful resolution to the Palestinian issue in all its dimensions.
“The international community bears a central responsibility to create the conditions necessary to reach a lasting and just solution, by restoring respect for international legitimacy after this devastating war and by providing the necessary political, economic, and humanitarian support,” the Prime Minister said while addressing the conference at the United Nations General Assembly headquarters in New York.
He added that “we hope that this conference will be a turning point that leads to concrete commitments that go beyond statements and positions, paving the way for practical steps toward the implementation of the two-state solution, ensuring a just, comprehensive, and lasting settlement of the conflict, and contributing to peace, security, and stability across the entire region.”
Meanwhile, HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani participated in the coordination meeting of the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states that was held on the sidelines of the high-level international conference on the peaceful settlement of the Palestinian issue and the implementation of the two-state solution in New York.
In his address, the Prime Minister expressed his appreciation to President of the French Republic HE Emmanuel Macron and to Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, for their initiative in organizing this historic conference under the auspices of the United Nations. “This conference addresses one of the oldest peace and security issues and one of the last manifestations of colonial injustice still on the international agenda.”
“Although this conference represents a glimmer of hope, we are witnessing a critical moment in the region, amid a horrific war that Israel has been waging on the Gaza Strip for two years, accompanied by an escalating humanitarian tragedy affecting more than two million people—most of them women and children. In one of the most painful and cruel moments of this tragedy, we have seen scenes that are a stain on the conscience of humanity: starving civilians, worn down by siege, killed while waiting in line as they slept, hoping to obtain a loaf of bread, a bag of flour, or a meal to feed their children.”
The Prime Minister further said, “What future can be built atop the corpses of starving queues? What peace can be born amid this level of hunger, humiliation, and killing? In the face of this catastrophic situation, the State of Qatar has not hesitated to do all it can through diplomatic efforts to spare innocent lives, alleviate suffering, and secure the release of detained hostages.
"The State of Qatar, based on its principled stance, condemns all forms of targeting civilians.”
“However, we categorically reject double standards. A human is a human, and a child is a child—no one has the right to discriminate among the innocent or between their right to life based on political, ethnic, or other grounds.
“We have reached a point where starvation and targeting hospitals have become normalised tactics in warfare—precedents that we cannot accept as if they have become standard practices in every conflict from now on.”
The State of Qatar, he said, reaffirms its absolute rejection of using food as a means of pressure or as a weapon in conflicts and strongly condemns the policies of blockade and forced displacement against innocent civilians, as well as the repeated targeting of hospitals, shelters for displaced persons, and vital infrastructure—flagrant violations of international law.
He said that the mediation efforts led by the State of Qatar, in partnership with the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United States of America, have yielded tangible results, including the delivery of large quantities of humanitarian aid and the release of hundreds of prisoners and detainees from both sides.
“Despite repeated obstacles and attempts to undermine and demonize the humanitarian track and the work of the mediating states, we affirm that these efforts are ongoing with the aim of reaching an immediate ceasefire, paving the way to end the crisis and launch recovery and reconstruction efforts.”
He noted that the war against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip has not only led to unprecedented suffering for innocent civilians, but has also undermined the credibility of international law and the universal values upon which the institutions of the international community have stood since World War II.
“Moreover, it has become evident that policies of force have not—and will not—succeed in eliminating the Palestinian cause. All they have accomplished is intensifying the tragedy with more pain, suffering, and feelings of injustice—scenes of killing and destruction that will remain etched in the memory of people around the world.”
He further said that the horrors of this war and its political failure confirm that there is no alternative to a just and comprehensive resolution to the Palestinian issue.
“The key lies in recognizing the injustice endured by the Palestinian people and in implementing justice—delayed now for nearly 80 years.”
“From its steadfast commitment to peace, the State of Qatar reaffirms its full support for the objectives of this conference and its eagerness to play an active role in its success and in enhancing prospects for a peaceful solution in the Middle East. In this regard, the State of Qatar co-chaired, alongside Canada and Mexico, the third working group of the conference, which focused on peace narratives.
“This group addressed important topics and reached a set of priority principles and recommendations that support the overall goals of the conference.”
He said that Qatar reiterates its firm stance in supporting a peaceful resolution to the Palestinian issue in accordance with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions, based on the two-state solution as the only viable and implementable option to end the conflict and achieve a just and comprehensive peace.
“We also welcome the commitment of the friendly French Republic to recognize the State of Palestine this coming September,” he added.
