KUALA LUMPUR: The occupation of Palestine continues to be an issue which affects the Arab world because it is an unresolved issue of settler colonialism.
Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim Hamad Al Thani said the situation in Palestine had rendered the state unstable, and had affected the region in many ways because the occupation of Palestinian territories by Israel was against international law.
“One of the most important sources of instability in our region is the neutralisation and marginalisation of the international legitimacy, and the attempt to dictate the will of the occupation by force of Palestine, where annexation and settlement policies, including the Judaisation of Jerusalem, continues.
“There are the policies that wipe out the Arab character of the city and provoke the feelings of Arabs and Muslims everywhere.
“What disturbs the Arab and Islamic public opinion and a large part of the global public opinion regarding the cause of Palestine is that it is an unresolved issue of settler colonialism,” said Sheikh Tamim during the opening of the Kuala Lumpur Summit 2019 here today.
Also present were Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
Elaborating on the issue of Palestine, Sheikh Tamim said the Arabs had accepted a settlement of the conflict through the Arab Peace Initiative.
“We have showed great willingness to cooperate with the international community for a just solution to the Palestinian issue, but the party that refuses to comply with the international will and laws, and rejects the fair peace offer, even relatively, is Israel.”
He said Qatar had always believed that justice was one of the most important conditions for stability in conflict areas, and that justice could resolve much of the problems in the Arab world.
“Our alignment with fair causes stems not only from the moral principles of international politics, but also from mutual interest in stability,” he said, adding that stability was also the most important condition for development.
In this regard, he said Qatar had embarked on policies which upheld its national identity, adhered to the values of Islam while also adapting a universal human view of justice and human rights.
Qatar is known for having one of the world’s largest reserves of petroleum and natural gas, and its citizens enjoy a high standard of living.
Sheikh Tamim said as a Muslim nation, Qatar was tolerant of other beliefs and accepted pluralism and diversity.
“We see fanaticism as not only evidence of lack of self-confidence, but rather proof of an identity crisis.”
Talking about the theme of the KL Summit, “The Priority of Development and the Challenges”, he said it was important for a country to establish cooperation with the international community to spur domestic development and to maintain regional peace.
“The State of Qatar has spared no effort in fulfilling its obligations to provide development assistance, that is unfettered by political agendas, to developing countries to enable them implement their development programmes, combat poverty and unemployment, develop education and improve healthcare.”