The Shura Council State of Qatar

The Shura Council participated in the third general session of the first regular session of the fourth legislative term of the Arab Parliament, which was held Wednesday at the headquarters of the Arab League General Secretariat in Cairo.

The Shura Council also took part in the emergency session dedicated to Palestine, titled "Rebuilding Gaza is a Duty, Expelling Its People is a Crime," to discuss the developments in the Palestinian territories and ways to support the Palestinian people in light of ongoing escalation, calls for expulsion, annexation, and the expansion of settlements.

Representing the Council at both sessions were HE Shaikha bint Yousuf Al Jufairi, HE Issa bin Ahmed Al Nasr, HE Salem bin Rashid Al Meraikhi, and HE Hamad bin Abdulla Al Mulla, members of the Shura Council and the Arab Parliament.

The general session discussed the political and economic developments in the Arab region and the current challenges facing Arab countries, with a focus on the Palestinian cause and the situation in the occupied territories, amid the escalating violations faced by the Palestinian people.

The special session on Palestine focused on the humanitarian challenges faced by the people of the Gaza Strip, particularly with the ongoing blockade and widespread destruction of infrastructure. Participants stressed the importance of both Arab and international efforts to rebuild the sector, recognizing it as both a humanitarian and legal obligation.

During the special session, members of the Shura Council reaffirmed the State of Qatar's unwavering stance, under the leadership of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, in supporting the Palestinian cause. They highlighted Qatar’s diplomatic efforts in achieving a ceasefire and preventing the renewal of war, as well as its firm rejection of calls for displacement and annexation.

They also pointed to the humanitarian and medical aid provided through the Rafah crossing and the reception of the injured at Qatari hospitals.

In this context, HE Shaikha Al Jufairi stressed that the Palestinian cause is at a critical juncture due to the escalation and displacement in Gaza and the West Bank, underscoring the need to respect international conventions and the two-state solution. She condemned the systematic targeting of medical personnel and the destruction of healthcare facilities, calling for an immediate ceasefire.

For his part, HE Issa Al Nasr emphasized the importance of the parliamentary role in supporting the Palestinian cause, asserting the need for a unified stance to stop the violations against the Palestinian people. He pointed out the importance of diplomatic efforts to garner international support and protect Palestinian rights in accordance with international law.

He also noted that Qatar's efforts to support the Palestinian cause are based on its firm position towards the Palestinian people and its commitment to regional stability. He emphasized that achieving international peace and security remains a cornerstone of Qatar’s foreign policy.

The special session adopted a resolution in which the Arab Parliament praised the State of Qatar’s efforts, in collaboration with the Arab Republic of Egypt, to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, contributing to ending the war and alleviating the suffering of Palestinians.

The resolution also called for continued efforts to ensure the stabilization of the ceasefire, the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid, and participation in the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.

The Parliament also reiterated its firm rejection of any attempts to expel Palestinians or impose unjust solutions, stressing that such actions would constitute a crime against humanity. It welcomed the upcoming emergency Arab summit in Cairo in March to unify the Arab stance on Palestinian developments and urged the international community to halt arms sales to Israel and support legal efforts to hold the occupation accountable before the International Criminal Court. The resolution also called for support for UNRWA and rejected attempts to reduce its role, launching an international parliamentary movement to gather recognition of the State of Palestine, as well as a boycott of companies supporting the occupation.

The Arab Parliament reiterated that the Palestinian cause will remain the foremost central issue for the Arab world, urging intensified efforts to protect Palestinian rights and achieve a just and comprehensive solution that guarantees the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.

In a related context, the Arab Parliament condemned the provocative statements made by the Israeli Prime Minister regarding the establishment of a Palestinian state on the land of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, considering this a flagrant violation of international law and the United Nations Charter.

The Parliament reiterated its full rejection of these statements, which undermine the security and sovereignty of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, emphasizing that Saudi Arabia’s security is a red line that cannot be compromised. It stressed that the stability of Saudi Arabia is an integral part of Arab national security.

The Parliament also affirmed that these statements represent an encroachment on the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state on their entire national soil. The Arab Parliament commended Saudi Arabia's efforts in defending the Palestinian cause and rallying international support for the Palestinian people.

Members of the Shura Council and the Arab Parliament also participated in meetings of the permanent committees. 

HE Shaikha bint Yousuf Hassan Al Jufairi participated in the Arab Parliament's Palestine Committee meeting. The agenda included the latest developments in the Palestine cause amid suggestions of transfer, annexation and settlement expansion.

In her intervention, Her Excellency stressed the rejection of displacement and settlement expansion that threaten the Palestinian identity, stressing Qatar's firm position in supporting the Palestinian people and rejecting any attempts to uproot them from their land. She also called for Arab and international parliamentary actions to pressure governments and international organizations to take a firm stance against these violations, stressing that Palestine will remain the first issue until justice is achieved and full rights are obtained.

Meanwhile, HE Al Jufairi participated in the Social, Educational, Cultural, Women and Youth Affairs Committee meeting, which discussed a number of topics, primarily the humanitarian situation in Palestine, especially the impact of aggression on the health of women and children.

The agenda also included the issue of empowering productive families and social entrepreneurship, with Her Excellency proposing establishing an Arab model to support small projects, in addition to addressing the digital gap, medical responsibility, and terrorism in the Arab world, in addition to empowering people with disabilities, confronting climate change, and improving employment and social integration policies.

HE Al Jufairi stressed the dangers of targeting health facilities and medical personnel, pointing to the sharp deterioration in health conditions in Palestine, where hospitals have been destroyed, and hundreds of health workers have been killed and arrested.

In this regard, she reviewed the State of Qatar's efforts in supporting the health and relief sector, especially in Palestine, by providing urgent medical assistance, rehabilitating health facilities, in addition to receiving the injured from Gaza and providing them with health care and treatment in Qatari hospitals.

She called for international action to protect health care, oblige the parties to the conflict to abide by international laws, and enhance cooperation to ensure that medical services reach those in need.

On the other hand, HE Essa bin Ahmad Al Nassr participated in the Economic Affairs and Finance Committee meeting, which addressed vital issues to enhance economic cooperation among Arab countries.

The meeting discussed preparing an Arab strategy to support the blue economy, enhance cooperation with the Arab Federation for Digital Economy, and follow up on the decisions of the Arab Economic and Social Council.

The attendees also discussed ways to enhance relations with economic organizations, in addition to discussing developments in joint Arab action in the economic field.

For his part, HE Salem bin Rashid Al Muraikhi participated in the Legislative, Legal and Human Rights Affairs Committee meeting, which discussed key issues, including the second draft of an Arab vision to protect religious symbols and beliefs and prohibit insulting them, in addition to the report of the subcommittee on the draft law to combat illegal immigration in the Arab world.

The committee's agenda also included discussing the first draft of a unified Arab vision to address the problem of Arab displaced persons and refugees, where the legal and humanitarian challenges associated with this issue were reviewed, as well as ways to enhance Arab cooperation to solve it.

In turn, HE Hamad bin Abdulla Al Mulla chaired the Foreign Affairs, Political and National Security Committee meeting. On the table were key issues including following up on the implementation of the recommendations of the previous meeting and reviewing political and security developments in the Arab world during the past period.

The committee also discussed activating the role of preventive diplomacy in preventing conflicts and resolving crises, in addition to mechanisms to combat the promotion, manufacture and smuggling of drugs and psychotropic substances.

The committee also discussed the issue of cooperation with Arab and international organizations in the political and security fields, and following up on the decisions issued by the recent Arab and Gulf summits, in addition to reviewing developments in joint Arab action.