The Shura Council State of Qatar

HE Speaker of the Shura Council Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim criticized the silence of the major powers, and the international community's complacency towards the repeated crimes committed by the Israeli occupation authorities and the settlers' militias in the occupied Palestinian territories.

In his speech before the opening session of the 34th conference of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union (AIPU) in Baghdad, His Excellency referred to the new massacre committed by the occupation forces last Wednesday, when they barbarically stormed Nablus using rockets and live bullets to leave dozens killed and injured.

He noted that the State of Qatar considers that silence on these collective punitive measures implemented by the occupation authorities facilitate impunity, making all peace efforts become meaningless, and making the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, impossible.

In another context, His Excellency praised the Arab parliaments call for the enactment of international legislation to prohibit contempt of religion, stressing the need to include an emergency item on the agenda of the General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, submitted on behalf of the Arab Parliamentary Group by Qatar's Shura Council, on criminalizing contempt of religion.

HE the Shura Council Speaker also praised the efforts made by all Arab countries in aiding and providing relief to Syria and Turkey after the devastating earthquakes that struck the two countries, hoping that everyone will succeed in providing the necessary support to the brothers in Iraq, Palestine and in all other Arab countries which stability is sought after.

He stressed the need for the region's countries to help each other achieve stability, and to adhere to non-interference in internal affairs.

On the Qatari-Iraqi relations, he stressed that the two peoples are bound by distinguished fraternal relations, based on bonds of rapprochement and common denominators, pointing out that relations at the official level are witnessing steady growth in the investment, economic and cultural fields.

His Excellency highlighted the keenness of GCC states to enhance cooperation with Iraq in various fields, as they believe in the importance of Iraq in the stability and security of the region, indicating that there is a Gulf electrical interconnection project with the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity, as one of the important cooperation projects in this context.

He also pointed out that Iraq's hosting of the Gulf Football Cup (Gulf 25), presented an opportunity for many people of the region to visit the country for the first time, and to get to know its culture.

He indicated that hosting this tournament contributed to changing the prevailing stereotype, which enhances investment opportunities, economic cooperation, and the development of its relations with its neighbors and various countries in different fields.

In his speech before the opening session of the 34th conference of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union (AIPU), His Excellency said that Iraq seeks to play its active role in establishing peace and security in the region, praising the efforts made over the past years to achieve the aspirations of the Iraqi people, consolidate security and enhance national sovereignty.