DOHA, (PIC)
Qatar has rejected recent remarks by Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu, who accused Doha of “playing both sides” in the ceasefire talks over Gaza.
In a strongly worded statement posted on his X page on Sunday, spokesman Majed Al Ansari denounced Netanyahu’s comments as “inflammatory” and lacking “the most basic standards of political and moral responsibility.”
Al Ansari criticized Netanyahu for portraying Israel’s military campaign in Gaza as a defense of “civilization,” saying such rhetoric “echoes the rhetoric of notorious regimes throughout history that had used false narratives to justify crimes against innocent civilians.”
“Since the outbreak of the war, the State of Qatar, working in close coordination with its partners, has made every effort to support mediation aimed at ending the fighting, protecting civilians, and securing the release of captives,” Al Ansari said.
“A legitimate question must be raised: Was the release of no fewer than 138 hostages achieved through so-called just military operations, or through the very mediation that is now being unjustly criticized and undermined?” the Qatari official added.
“Meanwhile, the Palestinian people in Gaza are enduring one of the worst humanitarian catastrophes of modern times marked by a suffocating blockade, systematic starvation, denial of medicine and shelter, and the use of humanitarian aid as a tool of political coercion. Is this truly the model of “civilization” being promoted, he asked.
Al Ansari reaffirmed that “Qatar’s principled foreign policy is not at odds with its role as a credible and impartial mediator. Campaigns of distortion and political pressure will not deter Qatar from standing with oppressed peoples, defending the rights of civilians regardless of background, and upholding international law without selectivity or exception.
He added that Qatar would continue to work closely with both Egypt and the US to secure an immediate ceasefire, ensure the uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid, and advance a just and lasting peace based on justice and humanity, not violence and double standards.
“The State of Qatar reaffirms its unwavering belief that genuine peace can only be achieved through a comprehensive and just settlement based on international legitimacy one that ends the occupation and guarantees the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them the establishment of an independent state along the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital,” he underscored.
