HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani said Tuesday the Palestinian cause is a central issue for the Middle East and the world.
Speaking at a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday, His Excellency said that the international community's reaction to the war in the Gaza Strip was unfortunately disappointing for the people of the region and that there is a need to find an immediate solution and ways to end the war as soon as possible, and to release both hostages and Palestinian prisoners.
For the first time in modern history and in a situation like this, even the call for a ceasefire has become a controversial term, and the only effective way to reach a ceasefire is related to the exchange of hostages, which faces many challenges, His Excellency said.
His Excellency stressed the need to address the issue in the West Bank as well, adding that the media doesn't convey much of what is happening there. He pointed out that the situation in the West Bank is not better than what is happening in the Gaza Strip, as there may not be comprehensive bombing, but there are killings and violence by settlers, and the extremist government calling for ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people, and unfortunately, there hasn't been a real reaction from the international community.
His Excellency underscored the need to address the rift of Palestinian factions as a prerequisite to implementing the principle of the two-state solution, warning that a two-state solution cannot be reached without the Israeli government and politicians showing a strong belief in peaceful coexistence and bringing the war to an end.
Highlighting the huge impacts of the repercussions of the war on the Gaza Strip on future generations, His Excellency said the death toll and horrific images from the war would bear grave short, medium and long-term impacts. With the children and families watching their relatives and parents being killed in bombings amid international indifference, future generations in the region, Europe and the whole world will only show anger and loathing, His Excellency said.
Commenting on the reconstruction in the Gaza Strip, His Excellency said the reconstruction conference, which was jointly hosted by Norway and Egypt following the 2014 Israeli war on Gaza, saw many countries pledging to provide large sums of money to reconstruct the Gaza Strip, but the matter did not go beyond that, because most of these countries do not believe that the situation would be sustainable.
From time to time, almost every year, limited-scale tensions have escalated in the Gaza Strip, leaving a lot of destruction, His Excellency added.
The devastation in Gaza left over 23,000 people killed, almost two-thirds of whom were women and children; Nearly there is no Gaza anymore, There is nothing there, the shelling targets the entire Gaza Strip, which necessitates a post-war reconstruction of the whole city, His Excellency added.
Regarding the escalation in the Red Sea and whether it could lead to an expansion of the war in the Gaza Strip regionally, HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani stated that the current global situation is taking a challenging turn, adding that Qatar has previously warned against the expansion of war and its extension in the region, emphasizing that its impact will not be confined to Gaza alone but will extend beyond that.
His Excellency added that this escalation started in southern Lebanon, then in Syria and Iraq, and now in the Red Sea, noting that the escalation in the Red Sea is currently the most dangerous because its impact is not limited to the region but also affects global trade.
His Excellency explained that this has changed the view of global trade and shipping, and also changed the extent of the interconnectivity from east to west as when something happens in the Middle East, it affects everyone.

His Excellency expressed concern about the escalating situation in the Red Sea and the widening scope of the crisis, stating that Qatar always prefers diplomacy to military solutions and believes that the focus should not only be on these small conflicts but on the main conflict in the Gaza Strip because resolving this conflict will lead to the resolution of other issues. He pointed out that during the six or seven days of the pause in Gaza for the release of hostages, all other fronts were simply closed at the same time, and this shows the impact of the central problem.
On another note, His Excellency stressed that the impact on freedom of navigation is a global issue that must be contained, but a military solution will not lead to its end, on the contrary, it will lead to increased escalation and exacerbate the situation further.
Regarding the impact of attacks in the Red Sea on Qatar's exports of liquefied natural gas, His Excellency said that liquefied natural gas, like any commercial shipments, will be affected. He added that there are alternative trade routes, but these alternative routes are not more efficient; they are less efficient than the current routes.
HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani also emphasized that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are neighbors, and the rapprochement between them is a necessity, not a luxury.
His Excellency stated that there is a common understanding among GCC countries that it is crucial to focus on how to engage with Iran, create a better ground of common interests and understanding, and build on that to address the differences through dialogue and face-to-face problem-solving. He pointed out that there is a great opportunity, and this momentum is still ongoing between the GCC countries, which was clear in various meetings. He added that there would be immense possibilities that would be available if the GCC and Iran cooperated economically in addition to the impact on regional security if there is a serious and sincere dialogue about various issues in the region that can be contained through the cooperation of all those countries.

In response to a question about the two-state principle as a political solution, who will represent the Palestinians, and Hamas' potential role in the process, His Excellency said that there are multiple problems, including that negotiating a solution is not a solution in itself, and that any conflict resolution worldwide first puts a solution and then negotiates to reach it.
The problem following the Oslo Accords was how to negotiate a solution, which did not bring an end; everyone knows the solution lies in the two-state solution on the 1967 borders, His Excellency said, calling for addressing the suspended issues in the Oslo Accord implementation and putting a specific and irreversible timeframe in order not to remain the negotiations affected by elections.
His Excellency explained that there is a need for something that makes the solution binding for any party that will come to power in Israel, indicating that some Israeli officials, especially after Oct. 7, claim that they are seeking peace and that the Arabs do not want a solution.
But historically, the Arabs were the ones who submitted solutions and proposals, which were totally rejected by Israel; the international community cannot simply leave this in the hands of the Israelis, His Excellency added.
Commenting on the Palestinian division, His Excellency said the Palestinian Authority faces many challenges, but why do these challenges occur in the first place? What is the reason behind it? Who made them effectively paralyzed and incapable of governing there? The Palestinian Authority does not rule effectively; Israel controls everything in the West Bank, they enter and exit it, and they simply dominate it from a security perspective to build new settlements there, and these things complicate any hope for a solution.
His Excellency stressed that Hamas, regardless of any differences, is part of the Palestinian political spectrum, and the Palestinian people are the only ones who have the choice to make it part of the solution or not. It is not Qatar's choice and it is not the choice of the Israelis or the choice of any other party. In the end, there are ideological differences that can be settled through a better idea, and the best idea is to put the principle of the two-state solution back on the table, His Excellency said.
Many of Qatar's global partners have shown increasing recognition more than before, and the United States speaks now about the need to return to this path again as soon as possible, and this is very important. The United States plays a major and central role and it can bring all parties together, His Excellency said.
In response to a question about the guarantees that Israel might need if it wanted to return to the principles stipulated in the Camp David Agreement, primarily the 1967 borders and then the principle of the two-state solution, HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs said that the Arab Peace Initiative proposal provided the best guarantees to Israel in exchange for giving the Palestinians their own state. The Arabs will normalize with Israel and then they will have everything that can be arranged, such as security guarantees and a security structure for the entire region in order to ensure that there are no more wars in this region, His Excellency said.
All countries were ready and Qatar was the first country to have an Israeli trade mission after the Madrid and Oslo accords and established a relation with Israel, hoping there would be room to move forward towards peace, but the war in 2008 proved it was no longer useful, His Excellency added.
Without solving the real problem and giving Palestinians their state, normalization and establishing relations with Israel will not work out, but will rather obliterate the Palestinian cause, His Excellency added, stressing that all parties are now ready to extend a helping hand to reach a peace agreement with Israel if the latter was truly prepared to engage in a process that will see the Palestinians finally obtain their independent state.

In response to a question about development plans in Qatar, HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani stated that Qatar has invested in infrastructure and energy over the past two decades. He added that around USD 200 billion has been invested in infrastructure over the past ten years alone, pointing out that Qatar has successfully built national champions, possesses one of the top 10 sovereign wealth funds, has one of the world's best airlines, and a pioneering energy business model in the field of liquefied natural gas supply.
His Excellency pointed out that the government is exploring how to leverage the existing infrastructure and that its role is transitioning from development to empowerment, particularly empowering the private sector to take a leadership role. He added that in the coming year, the government will focus on reforming the policies and changing some regulations to remove barriers for companies, in addition to allocating billions to stimulate and empower the private sector to lead growth to create a qualified workforce for the country.
His Excellency added that there is excitement in various sectors, such as tourism, as during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Qatar welcomed around 1.6 million people during the event, and this year the number reached 4 million, demonstrating the growth and potential in the country. The expansion of the North Field will represent 40 percent of the additional supplies of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the world by 2029, he explained.
Regarding Qatar's foreign policy and its role in global peace and security, His Excellency highlighted mediation as a fundamental element of Qatar's foreign policy and constitution. He added that Qatar's mediation efforts are based on the belief that this is vital for a small country as it provides the flexibility to move forward faster and helps in establishing good relations with everyone, pointing out that Qatar considers the mediation efforts as a contribution towards global peace and security.
His Excellency emphasized that HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani has always been clear on this matter, stating that righteous deeds do not go unpunished, despite criticism and scrutiny, Qatar maintains relationships with various entities and engages in mediation to save lives, even if the efforts will lead to saving one life, it's worth it, and that's Qatar's principle.
He added that some politicians are trying to achieve some political victory here or there by playing into the role that Qatar plays, but ultimately, Qatar's actions during conflicts, both within and beyond the region, have demonstrated its commitment to peace, as seen in Ukraine, Venezuela, Chad, Djibouti and Eritrea, and recently in Gaza, where negotiations led to the release of 109 hostages and not military operations, which highlights the strength of diplomatic negotiations.