ISLAMABAD: The Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, reiterated on Friday that the State of Qatar “reserves its legitimate right to respond in accordance with international law.”
The prime minister made the remarks at the emergency UN Security Council session on developments in the Middle East, convened in response to the Israeli attack on Qatar, Qatar News Agency reported.
He said that under the leadership of Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, the State of Qatar will continue its humanitarian and diplomatic efforts wherever it can save lives. However, it will not tolerate any violation of its sovereignty or security and retains the legitimate right to respond in line with international law.
He emphasized that Qatar is a nation of peace, not war, and has chosen peace as its guiding principle despite provocations from those who seek conflict and destruction.
He also expressed appreciation for the Council’s adoption of a press statement and for the solidarity shown by member states in condemning the Israeli strike on Doha on September 9.
Qatar’s role in ending longest war in US history
He noted that the United States never targeted Taliban negotiators, but instead worked with the State of Qatar, under President Donald Trump’s administration, to help end in 2020 the longest war in US history. He stressed that this was the constructive approach that Israel’s prime minister is now attempting to undermine with cheap and emotional pretexts.
The prime minister said the current Israeli leadership is intoxicated by power and arrogance because it believes it can act with complete impunity.
Committed to peaceful resolution
Sheikh Mohammed Al-Thani reaffirmed Qatar’s strong commitment to mediation and peaceful conflict resolution. He emphasized that Qatar’s mediation efforts, in cooperation with Egypt and the United States, have already achieved tangible results, including the release of 148 Israeli and foreign hostages, hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, and the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The prime minister concluded by reminding the Council that the attack on Qatar was also an assault on all diplomatic efforts aimed at peaceful solutions. He stressed that the only path to peace lies through negotiations, beginning with a ceasefire, the release of all hostages and prisoners, and the unconditional entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, along with the lifting of the blockade.
UNSC voices solidarity with Qatar
In a statement released after closed consultations, the 15-member Security Council voiced solidarity with Qatar, reaffirming support for the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in accordance with the UN Charter.
“The Council recalled its support for the vital role that Qatar continues to play in mediation efforts in the region,” the statement read, adding that the release of hostages, including those killed by Hamas, and ending the suffering in Gaza, must remain its top priority.
Pakistan condemns Israeli strike
Pakistan strongly condemned Israel’s strike on Qatar, labeling it unlawful and part of a broader pattern of aggression, and affirmed its full support for Qatar’s right to self-defense under the UN Charter.
Speaking at the UN Security Council, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad denounced what he called Israel’s “unlawful and unjustified aggression” against Qatar, according to an official statement released by Pakistan’s diplomatic mission at the UN.
Condemnations pour in from across the globe
China condemned the Israeli strike in the strongest terms, calling it a blatant attack on a nation playing a central role in mediation.
The United States offered condolences to the family of the Qatari security officer killed in the strike. It said the attack does not serve the goals of either the U.S. or Israel.
Russia labeled the Israeli attack a “blatant violation of sovereignty” and warned of serious consequences.
Countries across Europe also denounced the Israeli strikes calling them absolutely unacceptable and a flagrant violation of international law.
