Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim said such positions required decisive rejection. He referred to the withdrawal of these sponsoring countries from the role of effective mediation, and their inability to convince Tel Aviv to hear the voice of reason.
The Premier and Foreign Minister considered these positions as a blow to the peace efforts, and encouraging Israel to exercise more obstinate and persistent breach of principles and international norms and conventions, and total disregard of the road map and the Arab initiatives as well as regional and international efforts to find a just solution to the Palestinian issue.
He stressed that the Palestinian question was a central and pivotal issue, and one of the strongest pillars of Arab politics.
He added that a just and comprehensive peace would only be achieved by Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian territories, the rejection of all forms of settlement, and the establishment of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
“We are facing remarkable and growing changes in the region which in turn impose new challenges to the peace process, especially in light of Israel’s continued evasion and intransigence in responding to the Arab and international initiatives calling for revival of the peace process,” Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim said.
He said the best evidence of Israel’s rejection of peace was its continuation of the Judaisation process and settlement building, while knowing that a settlement freeze was a prerequisite for the resumption of negotiations.
The Premier and Foreign Minister expressed hope that the reconciliation deal signed between Fatah and Hamas in Doha, based on the Cairo Agreement, would be a step towards unity, ending the differences so that all could shoulder their full responsibility to restore the Palestinian issue to the fore in order to be a priority for the international community.
He added that this would only be achieved by completing the reconciliation, adopting collective action, and giving priority to the national interest.
In his speech, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the transitional government to be chaired by him had two goals: holding elections and the reconstruction of Gaza.
“We have agreed with the Hamas movement under the auspices of the State of Qatar to form a transitional government of technocrats,” Abbas said.
