VIENNA: His Highness the Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has stressed that violence does not achieve peace, security and stability for anyone, and that a just, comprehensive and lasting peace will only be achieved through the implementation of international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative, and on the basis of the principle of the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent, sovereign and viable Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
This came in a message sent by His Highness the Amir on the occasion of the annual celebration held by the United Nations Office in Vienna on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, delivered by HE Jassim Yacoub Al Hammadi, Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Austria and its Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and International Organizations in Vienna.
His Highness the Amir said in the message: “Solidarity with the Palestinian people this year is of particular importance in light of the collective punishment and war of extermination that this oppressed people is being subjected to, which does not spare civilians, their homes, infrastructure, schools, universities, places of worship, and hospitals. Thousands of children and women in refugee camps, as well as the sick, wounded, ambulances, doctors, and humanitarian aid workers, have not been spared. The occupation forces have not hesitated to obstruct the entry of humanitarian aid to the Palestinians and to forcibly displace them in a clear violation of international humanitarian law. Therefore, solidarity with the Palestinian people today is primarily a rejection of injustice and adherence to the right of this people to a dignified life on their land and their right to self-determination.”
His Highness the Amir pointed to the indescribable humanitarian consequences of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, which led to widespread destruction of its cities and villages, and which extended to the West Bank and then to brotherly Lebanon.
His Highness stressed the need to put an immediate end to the violence and reach a ceasefire that would end the bloodshed, the humanitarian catastrophe and the suffering of prisoners and detainees, stressing the State of Qatar's keenness to exert all possible mediation efforts in order to facilitate reaching an agreement that achieves this goal.
His Highness added in the letter: “The continued failure of the international community and the United Nations to stop the bloodshed and the double standards in enforcing international law, international humanitarian law and international human rights law when it comes to the Palestinian people, despite clear international positions and demands, General Assembly resolutions and orders of the International Court of Justice, will only lead to more impunity and the loss of confidence in international laws and the international system.”
His Highness the Amir reiterated his strong condemnation of the repeated attacks on the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, stressing that any attempts to undermine the historical and legal status quo of the Islamic and Christian holy sites in occupied East Jerusalem, divide the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque temporally and spatially, and undermine the freedom of Muslims to pray therein are null and void under international law and relevant United Nations resolutions.
His Highness continued in the message, saying: “The State of Qatar stands at the forefront of countries that rush to provide economic and humanitarian support to the brotherly Palestinian people, in addition to the political and moral support it provides. It has participated in humanitarian efforts to send emergency aid to the Gaza Strip, evacuate the injured and their families, and establish field hospitals.”
His Highness announced that the State of Qatar has increased this year its contribution to funding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and announced a pledge of $100 million to support humanitarian efforts for the Palestinian people.
His Highness expressed his great appreciation for the United Nations system, headed by its Secretary-General, and his solidarity with the international organization in the face of the fierce campaign targeting it and the international legitimacy it represents. His Highness also condemned attempts to undermine UNRWA, expressing appreciation for the efforts of this agency and the great sacrifices it has made and its indispensable positive role on behalf of the international community in fulfilling its commitment to the Palestinian refugee issue until it is settled, as millions depend on the agency’s humanitarian, health, food and educational services, as they constitute the backbone of international efforts to address the serious humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
At the end of his message, His Highness the Amir renewed his thanks to the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories, and the Division for Palestinian Rights at the United Nations, for their efforts to shed light on and mobilize international support to help the Palestinian people achieve their legitimate rights.