Doha, March 03 (QNA) - Over the course of more than 465 days of Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, the State of Qatar has been at the forefront of the Arab and international diplomatic scene, harassing its political and humanitarian capabilities in relentless efforts to halt the bloodshed of the people of Gaza and achieve a sustainable truce. Qatar played a crucial role in historic mediation efforts, in collaboration with the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United States of America, which led to the announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza and the exchange of prisoners and detainees on January 15.

Meanwhile, the firm positions of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani in supporting the Palestinian cause and condemning the aggression on Gaza were evident through his active participation in the Arab, Islamic and international summits and meetings held to discuss the situation in Gaza.

His Highness' speeches came to reflect Qatar's firm commitment to diplomatic efforts and strengthening joint Arab action to protect the rights of the Palestinian people, as well as rejecting any solutions that perpetuate the occupation or aim to reshape the geopolitical landscape of Gaza at the expense of its residents, within the framework of a strategic vision aimed at achieving sustainable solutions that guarantee security and stability in the region.

In the context of the emergency Arab summit scheduled to be held in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday, to discuss the Palestinian developments, especially the situation in the Gaza Strip and the plan for its reconstruction, aspirations are increasing to coordinate Arab positions on the Palestinian cause and the future of the Gaza Strip and its residents.

This summit comes amid rapid regional and international developments, especially with the escalation of talks about what has become known in the media as "the day after the war," which is the stage during which the Israeli occupation seeks to impose new facts, exploiting the destruction left behind by its aggression and genocide to reshape the geopolitical landscape in the Gaza Strip.

These moves raise legitimate concerns about the future of the people of Gaza, in light of the attempts at forced displacement and plans aimed at changing the demographic composition of the Strip, which calls for a unified Arab position that guarantees the protection of the rights of the Palestinians and imposes a just and sustainable solution that ends their ongoing suffering.

In various international forums, the State of Qatar has always affirmed with unwavering faith that it will spare no effort in protecting the brotherly Palestinian people from the crimes of ethnic cleansing by the Israeli occupation, stressing its strong commitment to remain at the forefront of Arab, Islamic and international efforts aimed at stopping the abolition of the Palestinian cause and the displacement of the people of the Gaza Strip from their lands and homes.

The speech delivered by HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani at the Joint Arab Islamic Extraordinary Summit, which was held on Nov. 11, 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, formed the cornerstone for subsequent Qatari positions in the midst of the intensification of aggression, as His Highness strongly criticized the international double standards towards the Palestinian cause, and denounced the silence of the international community towards the Israeli occupation's war crimes against the people of Gaza. HH the Amir also stressed the need for collective action to take different measures against the occupation and ensure the protection of the Palestinians and guarantee the arrival of humanitarian aid without restrictions or conditions.

In his speech during the summit, HH the Amir said that the State of Qatar is unflinching in its historical position in support of the steadfastness of the brotherly Palestinian people and their just cause, stressing that the only sustainable solution to this issue is the one that establishes the foundations of justice in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative, and it is also the solution that the international community have called for.

Following his participation in the summit, HH the Amir said in a post on his official "X" account, that the ongoing crime of war in Gaza requires Islamic countries to take a firm stance and deterrent measures in proportion to the weight of these countries, and consistent with the position and feelings of Islamic peoples towards what is happening, adding that Israel committing genocide crimes with such negligence harms not only Arab and Islamic national security, but also the national security of our countries.

In his speech during the inauguration of the 44th Session of the GCC Supreme Council, held on Dec. 5, 2023 in Doha, HH the Amir highlighted the tragic conditions that the Palestinian people experience, especially in the Gaza Strip.

HH the Amir stressed that the summit convenes against the backdrop of unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, and that what is happening in Palestine is a crime against humanity, adding that it is disgraceful for the international community to allow this heinous crime to go on.

HH the Amir also called on the United Nations to necessarily conduct an international investigation into the massacres committed by the Israeli occupation authorities against the Palestinian people, demanding the Security Council to assume its legal responsibility and compel Israel to return to credible negotiations to achieve a just solution to the Palestinian issue in accordance with the resolutions of legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative through the two-state solution. 

HH the Amir added that the challenge does not lie in resolving the Gaza issue, as if it is a separate issue, or an Israeli security issue requiring security arrangements subjugating the Gaza Strip to its imperatives, but rather lies in ending the occupation and resolving the issue of the Palestinian people.

HH the Amir's efforts go beyond Arab and Gulf spheres to include the international arena as well. In his UNGA 79 speech, His Highness emphasized that the "blatant aggression that befalls the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip today is the most barbaric and heinous and extensive in breaching human values, international charters and norms".

His Highness said: "This is not a war within the international relations' well-known and common concept of war, but rather a crime of genocide by means of using the most sophisticated weapons against a people besieged in a detention camp where there is no escape from the barrage of aerial bombing.

"There are those who are tempted by the possibility of either marginalizing this issue to get rid of its burden, or seeing it vanished without resolving it, but the Palestinian cause is resistant to marginalization, because it is an issue of indigenous people on their own land and who are subjected to a settler-colonial occupation.

"The continuation of the humanitarian tragedy of the brotherly Palestinian people for more than seven and a half decades is a shameful stain on the conscience of the international community and its institutions. There is no point in talking about security, peace, and stability in the Middle East region and across the world if not backed by concrete steps leading to an immediate ceasefire and an end to the Israeli occupation of all Arab territories".

HH the Amir's historic speech garnered significant Arab and international media attention, highlighting the powerful message conveyed about the importance of working to end the occupation and establish an independent Palestinian state, as well as the need to put an end to the suffering of the people of Gaza. The speech also resonated positively with the Palestinian public, who place their hopes in Qatar's efforts to achieve justice and peace.

Continuing his unwavering approach to the Palestinian cause, His Highness reaffirmed the State of Qatar's stance backing Palestinian rights and its efforts to alleviate the suffering of the people of Gaza, in his speech at the opening of the 3rd Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) Summit, held in Doha in October 2024.

The speech came as an extension of his clear positions expressed at the UN, where he emphasized that the Israeli occupation is committing crimes of genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza, exploiting the international community's inability and disregard for its ongoing violations, in addition to turning the Gaza Strip into an area unfit for human habitation in preparation for displacement.

His Highness underlined that the Israeli aggression was not limited to the Gaza Strip only, but extended to Lebanon, where Israeli military attacks escalated, leaving hundreds of innocent victims and displacing over a million citizens, in a stark violation of international law.

His Highness clarified that Israel is exploiting the international impotence to entrench the occupation by expanding settlements in the West Bank, paving the way for its annexation, or at least the annexation of parts of it. This necessitates urgent international action to halt these plans.

These Qatari positions carry a clear message to the world, stating that security and stability will only be achieved through a just and comprehensive peace, leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative. HH the Amir affirmed that Qatar will remain, as always, a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause and will reject any attempts to liquidate its just cause.

HH the Amir spared no effort in continuing his diplomatic efforts to defend the Palestinian cause, where he participated in the extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit held in Riyadh in November 2024, which was dedicated to discussing ways to stop the Israeli aggression on Gaza and Lebanon.

This participation came as a continuation of His Highness' firm positions expressed in various previous international forums, stressing the need to strengthen joint Arab and Islamic action to stop the Israeli aggression, and the importance of taking practical measures to stop the Israeli crimes that are worsening day after day, amid international inability to curb the ongoing violations of the occupation.

In a reaffirmation of Qatar's steadfast position on the Palestinian cause, HH the Amir emphasized in a message sent on the occasion of the 'International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People' in November 2024, that true solidarity with the Palestinian people begins first and foremost with rejecting injustice and recognizing their right to a dignified life and self-determination, amid the ongoing genocide they face, which spares neither children, refugees, nor medical and humanitarian personnel.

His Highness openly criticized the international community's inability to stop the Palestinian bloodshed, noting that the continued double standards in enforcing international law, despite the clarity of UN positions and resolutions, reinforces the policy of impunity and undermines confidence in the international system.

He also condemned attempts to target the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and undermine its humanitarian role, stressing in his message that Qatar has increased its contribution to funding the agency to USD 100 million, in a move that reflects its continued commitment to supporting the Palestinians.

His Highness underscored that the continued Israeli aggression, which has extended to the West Bank and Lebanon, requires urgent international action to achieve a ceasefire and end the humanitarian catastrophe. He also reiterated his firm rejection of any attempts to alter the legal and historical status of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The tireless efforts led by HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, have embodied Qatar's unwavering commitment to defending the rights of the Palestinian people. His diplomatic efforts and extensive contacts with the leaders of brotherly and friendly countries culminated in a historic achievement - the announcement of a ceasefire agreement as part of Qatari-Egyptian-American mediation.

Despite this diplomatic achievement, the State of Qatar has confirmed that its support for the Palestinian cause will not stop at this point. It will rather extend into the post-war phase, with Qatar continuing its active role at all political, humanitarian, and relief levels alongside its regional and international partners to rebuild Gaza, assist its residents, and restore normalcy, driven by its moral and humanitarian duty and its firm belief in the justice of the Palestinian cause and the right of its people to a dignified life and a stable future. (QNA)