Doha, 11 Dec. 2023

Ashraf Siddiqui

Palestine is today the top issue on the international agenda, the Prime Minister of Palestine, Mohammad Shtayyeh, has said.

Talking exclusively on the sidelines of 21st Doha Forum, he said that since October 7, the Israeli apartheid forces have killed more than 16,000 innocent Palestinians including a large number of children. More than 42,000 people have been injured and 261,000 properties of the Palestinians have been destroyed.

He said that the huge destruction has attracted the attention of people across the world; especially so after the United States blocked the United Nations resolution calling for an end to Israeli atrocities and end of the war on Gaza.

Talking about the role of the State of Qatar, the Palestinian prime minister expressed his gratitude and said that Qatar has been playing a very constructive mediator’s role not only since October 7, but long before that. Qatar, he said, has been very keen to see Palestinian unity achieved.

“We count on the support of Qatar and rest of the Arab countries,” he said. “The issue of Palestine will always remain at the centre of international attention until it ends in a situation where the State of Palestine manifests itself on the land of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its Capital and when Palestinian refugees are given the right to return to their original homes and freely run the affairs of independent and sovereign state of Palestine.”

Mohammad Shtayyeh said that Israel has launched its war on every component of Palestine, its land, its geography, its demography and its finance – every single aspect of Palestine. Thanking the Arab countries and OIC member states for their support to Palestine in the conflict, he said that in addition to diplomatic and political support, today Palestinians urgently need more and more support in the form of supplied to meet the immediate basic needs of life. He said that the support is required today. Tomorrow it may be too late.