Advisor to the Prime Minister and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) Dr. Majed Mohammed Al-Ansari
Doha, Qatar: Advisor to the Prime Minister and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) Dr. Majed Mohammed Al-Ansari has said that Qatar will continue supporting UNRWA materially, morally, and politically.
“We call on our international partners and the international community as a whole to support UNRWA and all UN agencies in carrying out their missions, and not to allow any party to endanger these missions, undermine international legitimacy, or obstruct the work of international organisations,” he said in a weekly media briefing yesterday.
Responding to a question about the demolition of UNRWA facilities in East Jerusalem, Al Ansari said, “We never cease to emphasise our position on the necessity of supporting the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in carrying out its work across all Palestinian territories and with the brotherly Palestinian people in general. These Israeli practices have no result other than worsening the lives of our Palestinian brothers and undermining the international system and multilateral action, which should serve as a safety valve against such violations of human rights and international humanitarian law.”
To a question about the invitation to join the Board of Peace, he said that Qatar has been involved from day one in this framework, particularly in regard to the 20-point plan of President Trump. “Qatar was among the parties that signed the agreement in Sharm El-Sheikh.”
“The first phase has been completed in full, and what we have reached now is the announcement of entry into the second phase. One of the requirements of this phase is the formation of councils."
"With regard to the board membership, as you know, consultations are currently underway among several countries led by the United States, and Qatar is undoubtedly engaged with the US administration in these consultations.”
Al Ansari added, “I will therefore reserve comment until the official announcement of the board’s formation, while emphasising that Qatar remains committed to its role in supporting our brothers in the Gaza Strip.”
Regarding the appointment of Advisor to the Prime Minister for Strategic Affairs H E Ali Al Thawadi to the Gaza Executive Board, Al Ansari said that the figures representing different countries were selected based on the roles those countries and individuals played during the previous phase.
“Now, as we move into the next phase, this undoubtedly reflects the important role that Qatar played in reaching a ceasefire. This role will certainly continue in the coming phase. The roles of these councils, their structures, and related matters will be clarified later by the competent authorities. For us, this appointment confirms the commitment of Qatar and its internationally recognised role in supporting our brothers in the Gaza Strip.”
On the recent escalation between the US and Iran, he said that Qatar’s position has been clear from day one, as it believes that disputes in the region must be resolved through dialogue.
“We see that any escalation in the region would have severe consequences for the region as a whole. We in Qatar witnessed the impact of escalation over the past year, and therefore the State of Qatar undoubtedly supports any diplomatic window that could lead to a solution to this crisis and seeks together with its regional partners to spare the region any escalation.”
“Our relationship with the US and with the White House is one of daily communication, with daily contacts on various files. Our position has been clear to the US administration. However, I do not think it is appropriate to frame this in terms of who convinced whom. There are international-level communication and contacts, and there has been a responsible American position that helped spare the region from escalation in recent days.”
In Syria, he said that Qatar welcomed the agreement. “We hope that the Syrian Democratic Forces will now be integrated into the Syrian national army. From day one, we said that the Syrian people are now entering a new phase that has generated optimism among them. At this stage, everyone must demonstrate sufficient responsibility to ensure that weapons are monopolized by the state and that understandings reached at the dialogue table guarantee the rights of all in Syria equally.”
He said that Qatar will continue to support Syria and the Syrian people, who have suffered greatly over the past decade. “Undoubtedly, escalation on the ground militarily is a cause for concern for everyone, but we are optimistic about the outcome of the agreement between the parties and about reaching a solution.”
To another question about resumption of escalation between the US and Iran in future, he said: “Regarding the prospects of escalation in the region, let me say very clearly that in Qatar and throughout the region, there has been enough escalation in the past two years. Since 2023, this region has seen a spiral of escalation that has cost us so many lives, has created humanitarian conditions that are unbearable for the region as a whole and for the international community.”
“Therefore, we stand firm towards diplomatic solutions to all conflicts, all disagreements in the region and beyond. And it’s something that we have always supported. Obviously, there is renewed escalation. We have been seeing the developments inside Iran, the developments in the relationship between Iran and the US and we are engaging fully with all parties.”
He said that Qatar has done its role in the past when it came to communication between Iran and the United States and reaching bilateral agreements over many issues. “We hope that we can play that role now, and our channels of communication remain open, and we are in communication with both sides as we speak.”
Regarding Netanyahu’s statements on Qatar’s and other regional players’ role in Gaza, he said that Qatar has been committed to supporting the Palestinian people and people in Gaza since day one. “We have been involved in all aspects of resolving this conflict, whether it be the mediation for the release of the hostages and the exchange of Palestinian prisoners, whether it be the humanitarian side, considering humanitarian aid, whether it be the Twenty-Point Plan and the efforts by the United States to end this war.”
He said that Qatar remains committed and appreciates the recognition by the international community of Qatar’s role. “Our commitment to playing a role will not be handled by any media statements of political leaders or political positioning by anybody from Israel or anywhere else.”
