DOHA: The “genuine peace in the Middle East” cannot be achieved until the problem of occupation of Arab lands and continued illegal settlements by Israel is addressed, said the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani here today at an international forum.
“The continued Israeli occupation of Arab territories is still the core of the problem of Arab and Muslim peoples," said the Prime Minister, pointing out that the desire for peace is a feeling and aspiration of all peoples of the world, and that the United States could contribute tangibly and greatly to the achievement of a genuine peace in the Middle East.
Addressing at the opening of the 12th session of the US-Islamic World Forum, organized by Brooking Foundation in conjunction with the Foreign Ministry's Permanent Committee for Organizing Conferences (PCOC) said everyone understands that the stalemate in the Middle East peace was due to Israeli government's intransigent positions.
Instead of going in the right track of the solution that provides security and recognizes the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, foremost their right to establish an independent State with East Jerusalem as its capital, Israel continues to violate the international law and the international legality resolutions and its s attempt to impose a fait accompli policy by its continued occupation of Arab territories and continuation of the Jerusalem Judaizing policy, and the intensification of settlements in the Palestinian territories, the latest of which was the first decision of the new Israeli government of building 90 housing units south of Jerusalem.
The Premier stressed that mutual interests and shared responsibilities between the Muslim world and the US have resulted in establishing a common understanding and distinguished relations focusing on the need to continue work to deepen the bonds of these relations on the basis of dialogue and understanding, strengthening of cooperation frameworks in various fields, achievement of effective partnership between the Muslim World and America, especially in issues where the American role is particularly important especially in the attainment of international peace and security to serve the common interests of the two sides.
He said divine religions have devoted dialogue as one of the most important pillars of the sustainability of human life and goodness of all people, noting that the Holy Qur'an includes many verses that refer to that such as the verse:" O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other.''
The Prime Minister noted that out of this, Qatar has been working to adopt dialogue among civilizations and cultures and to find mechanisms to deepen understanding and peace among peoples through enlightened dialogues discussing the chronic and contemporary issues and future challenges to reach effective solutions that meet peoples' aspirations for security, stability and sustainable development, saying this forum is the best proof of that, reports QNA.
He also emphasized that dialogue should not be directed only to the renunciation of differences and rapprochement of viewpoints, but dialogue should be a higher form of constructive cooperation to address the pressing issues facing peoples such as hazards of climate change, terrorism, realization of international peace and security, water shortage, desertification, eradication of poverty, illiteracy and hunger and the achievement of sustainable development.
The Peninsula
