LONDON: “Israel isn’t a democratic country surrounded by enemies, but … an enemy to its surrounding neighbors,” Qatar’s emir told the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani was addressing the annual gathering after an Israeli attack earlier this month targeted Hamas negotiators in Doha, killing six people, including a Qatari national.
Israel “is engaged in a genocide (in Gaza), and its leader is proud of preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state, and he promises that such a state will never be established,” the emir said.
“Israel is surrounded by states who have either signed a peace agreement or who are committed to the Arab Peace Initiative, but Israel doesn’t make do with truces and settlements.
“It desires to impose its will on its surrounding Arab neighbors, and everyone who opposes its will is either antisemitic or a terrorist. Even Israel’s allies realize this fact and reject it.”
The emir thanked the international community for the “solidarity we’ve received in Qatar after the attack (on Doha), including a statement by the (UN) Security Council that has condemned the attack.”
He said the attack was an attempt by Israel to derail Gaza ceasefire negotiations. “Unlike the claim of the prime minister of Israel, this attack isn’t a legitimate right to follow perpetrators of terrorism. It’s an act of a diplomacy that’s dedicated to political assassinations, and it undermines any diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the genocide against the people in Gaza,” he added.
“It’s also an attempt to kill politicians who are members of the delegation that engages in negotiations with Israel while they were studying an American proposal.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to continue the war so as to make Gaza “unliveable,” Sheikh Tamim said.
“Qatari mediation has, in cooperation with Egypt and the US, achieved the release of hostages, and the last agreement was negated by Israel unilaterally, preventing an ability to reach a permanent ceasefire, and the release of all hostages, and the withdrawal of the occupying forces from the Gaza Strip … and the release of Palestinian prisoners. They visit our country and plot to attack it,” he added.
“The Israeli leader wants to continue war. He believes in what is called Greater Israel. He believes that war is an opportunity to expand settlements and to change the status quo in the holy sites (of Jerusalem).”
Sheikh Tamim vowed that Qatar would remain true to its history and legacy, and continue its mediation efforts.
“We’ll continue to speak the truth, and we’ll engage in diplomacy when our enemies find it easier to use weapons,” he said.
“We’ve engaged to mediate an end to the war and allow for humanitarian access and release hostages, and we’ve faced disinformation campaigns.
“However, these campaigns won’t deter us. We’ll continue our efforts in cooperation and partnership with Egypt and the US.”
