QNA
Doha
Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari has reiterated the State of Qatar’s rejection of any political compromises by any party. He noted that mediation efforts regarding the Gaza Strip continues despite the difficulty of the negotiations.
During a media briefing organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, Dr Al Ansari said that the State of Qatar deals with countries as institutions, and its role is well known to all.
“The attempts of some politicians to gain political advantage or confront internal crises through statements accusing the State of Qatar and targeting it with completely false information that has no basis in truth will not drag it down this slippery slope or engage in internal political matters that are not Qatar’s concern,” he said.
Dr Al Ansari added that the State of Qatar’s position has been clear since the first day of the war. The mediation efforts led by the State of Qatar, the Arab Republic of Egypt, and the United States of America are clear to all, and are primarily focused on ending this disastrous war in the Gaza Strip and charting a path to peace. Qatar’s integrity is internationally recognized, and is not limited to one or two parties.
He noted that all statements and declarations issued by various parties fall within this context, including the Israeli President’s statements in recent days.
Dr Al Ansari praised Qatar’s efforts, which are universally appreciated, indicating that these efforts resulted in two ceasefires and the release of more than 130 hostages as part of these efforts.
He said that the question is how many hostages have been released through military efforts and the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip? In return, the mediation has resulted in the release of a large number of Palestinian brothers from Israeli prisons, the entry of large quantities of aid into the Gaza Strip, a ceasefire, and the release of the hostages.
Dr Al Ansari reiterated Qatar’s commitment to continue its mediation efforts in the Gaza Strip, in cooperation with its regional and international partners, stating that Qatar will not be deterred by Israeli statements, nor will Qatar be deterred by attempts to distort the image of the mediators, whether in the State of Qatar or in the Arab Republic of Egypt. Quite the contrary. The efforts are continuing despite the difficulty of the situation and despite the ongoing catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
He pointed out that contacts are ongoing between Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, and his counterparts in the region and abroad, as part of ongoing efforts to stop the war in the Gaza Strip. He explained that the focus now is on the need to halt the armament of aid being pursued by Israel during this period.
He emphasized Qatar’s rejection, from the first day of this war, of aid being used as a weapon in this war, or as a bargaining chip in any war, anywhere in the world. He noted that it is unacceptable for aid to be coupled with political blackmail for the benefit of any party.
Dr Al Ansari explained that the State of Qatar is working with its partners in the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United States of America to find solutions to ensure the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip, calling for full international pressure to find solutions to ensure the entry of all forms of aid into the Gaza Strip as soon as possible.
He said Qatar is aware that the political polarization within Israel is the main motive behind the Israeli accusations against the State of Qatar, and therefore the state knows that Israel’s involvement in this mediation from day one, along with the other parties, has not stopped despite all these accusations, adding that Qatar knows for certain who stands in the way of reaching an agreement. There were many opportunities to end this war and reach an agreement that would lead to lasting peace in the Gaza Strip, but the State of Qatar is still working to find new opportunities and will continue to communicate with all parties.
He highlighted that anyone who wants to level these accusations against the mediators should know that this will not serve the mediation efforts or reach a solution. They should also know that the State of Qatar is immune to such accusations. Qatar’s reputation is well-known internationally and has been proven through its handling of various issues, not just the mediation file, Qatar is not concerned with these statements.
He pointed out that the importance of Qatar’s presence in mediation is a constant in the equation, while the emerging issue lies in the accusations leveled against Qatar.
