New York: The State of Qatar renewed its unwavering commitment to support the brotherly Palestinian people until they obtain all their legitimate rights, foremost among them their right to self-determination, the end of the occupation, the cessation of settlement activities, and the establishment of their truly sovereign and viable independent state, in accordance with the two-state solution based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem (Al-Quds) as its capital.
This came in the State of Qatar's statement delivered by Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations HE Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani, before the plenary session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), regarding item No. 35 on the Palestinian cause, at the UN headquarters in New York.
Her Excellency noted that the UNGA meeting is being held after the UN High-Level International Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, which was chaired by Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and French Republic in July in New York, pointing out that the conference resulted in the issuance of the New York Declaration, which was adopted by UNGA on Sept. 22, and reaffirmed the firm international commitment to the two-state solution.
As part of the State of Qatar's mediation efforts to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, HE Qatar's Permanent Representative to UN pointed out her participation in the meeting called for by President of the US HE Donald Trump, on the sidelines of the UN high-level week in New York.
On Sept. 29, Qatar - along with the eight Arab and Islamic countries participating in the meeting, expressed its appreciation for President Trump's leadership role and welcomed the announcement of a plan to end the war in Gaza, bring in humanitarian aid, rebuild the strip, prevent the displacement of Palestinians, and advance the comprehensive process, she added.
Her Excellency also said that, as a result of the State of Qatar's continued efforts with the US, Egypt and Turkiye, a ceasefire agreement was reached in Gaza, and it was approved at Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit held on Oct. 13.
Within its efforts to support the consolidation of the ceasefire, the State of Qatar emphasizes the importance of implementing UNSC Resolution 2803 - adopted on Nov. 17, which welcomed the comprehensive plan to end the war in the Gaza Strip and Trump's declaration for lasting peace and prosperity from Oct. 13, she said, indicating that this resolution should guarantee a comprehensive and sustainable ceasefire, the delivery of humanitarian aid without restrictions or obstacles, the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and the complete Israeli withdrawal, in addition to the avoidance of any steps that threaten the security and safety of civilians, and the non-displacement of the Palestinian people, thus paving the way for achieving a just and sustainable peace in the region.
In the context of developments in the Gaza Strip, Her Excellency expressed the State of Qatar's strong condemnation of the brutal Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip last week, considering them a dangerous escalation that threatens to undermine the ceasefire agreement.
Qatar has always stressed the need for interconnected factors of stability in the region, Her Excellency added. In this context, she expressed the State of Qatar's strongest condemnation of the incursion carried out by the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) in rural Damascus, accompanied by shelling that resulted in civilian casualties, describing the attack as a blatant violation of Syria's sovereignty and of international and humanitarian law. She also expressed Qatar's condemnation of the Israeli raid that targeted Ain Al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp near the city of Sidon in southern Lebanon, which resulted in martyrs and wounded, stressing that this raid represents a brutal attack on the defenseless Palestinian people and the sovereignty of the sisterly Lebanese Republic, as well as a flagrant violation of international laws and conventions.
Her Excellency called UNGA to address the unprecedented crisis facing the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), which is essential in assisting the brotherly Palestinian people, reaffirming the right of the Palestinian refugees to return, in accordance with UNGA Resolution 194 and UNSC Resolution 237.
Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations HE Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani pointed out that the State of Qatar renews its support for the international conference on the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, which will be hosted by the Arab Republic of Egypt in cooperation with regional and international partners to coordinate humanitarian efforts, in order to improve the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
