Al Khulaifi Reaffirms Qatar's Support For Palestinians

Khartoum, January 21 (QNA) - HE the Speaker of Qatar's Advisory Council, Mohamed Bin Mubarak Al Khulaifi underlined on Monday Qatar's firm support for the Palestinian people's struggle, based on a conviction of the fairness of their cause. Speaking at the 8th session of the federation of the councils of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation member countries being held in Khartoum, Al Khulaifi lauded HH the Emir's continued support for the Palestinian people at international forums and working to lift the unjust siege of the Gaza Strip. He cited HH the Emir's historic visit to the Gaza Strip in October last year as an attempt to break the siege. Al Khulaifi, in his speech stressed the importance of ending all differences between Palestinian factions and reaching a national reconciliation. He maintained that the Palestinian issue remains on top of the Arab and Muslim world priorities. He said that Israel's repressive policies towards the Palestinian people will always stain the world's conscience. He pointed to the displacement of the Palestinian people of Jerusalem in favor of Jewish settlers, Judaization of Jerusalem, as an example of Israel's repressive policies. On Syria, Al Khulaifi condemned the Syrian regime's killing of its own people. He also criticized the regime's stalling on all the initiatives offered to end the conflict. He condemned the international community for their inaction, labeling it the reason for the regime's crimes. Al Khulaifi also expressed his sorrow at the tragic situation of the Syrian refugees in Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon. He called on participants in the conference to do their utmost in helping Syrian refugees in those areas. He stressed in that regard that the State of Qatar under the leadership of HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani was keen to help out. Qatar has already provided assistance to Syrian refugees by delivering aid and opening schools for Syrian children in Lebanon, Al Khulaifi added. Al Khulaifi also referred to the tragic situation of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, urging the conferees to help them and support their cause. He lauded the Darfur peace accord signed in Doha by the Sudanese government and the Freedom and Justice Movement ,expressing the hope that Sudan will be able to surmount current challenges. Al Khulaifi condemned terrorism as an international phenomenon, however, he said that a distinction should be made between the struggle for freedom and terrorism. He noted that Qatar has always called for maintaining peace and stability regionally and on the world level and for that purpose it has hosted several international forums to cement relations among peoples and civilization. Al Khulaifi also called for stepping up cooperation between the Islamic Parliamentary Federation and other regional and international unions. He said that Qatar has created an environment for women to contribute to public life and hence, Qatari women were having a role in development. He also referred to Qatar s emphasis on human rights issues and the setting up of a national commission for human rights. Expressing his appreciation of the Sudanese government s hosting of the conference, he voiced the hope it would produce an outcome meeting the aspirations of OIC peoples. Talking about the cause of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and their catastrophic situation, Al Khuleifi called on the participants of the conference to stand by them, extend support and provide help as well as do something to address their cause.    On Sudan, HE the Advisory Council Speaker lauded the peace agreement signed between the Sudanese government and the Liberation and Justice Movement in Doha on the basis of the document on peace in Darfur, hoping that security, peace and stability prevail in Sudan.    Regarding terrorism, HE Al Khulaifi said it was imperative to differentiate between the struggle for liberation and terrorism, underscoring that the world needs to have a unified position on terrorism as a detestable phenomenon.     Terrorism, he said, is the scourge of mankind that must be addressed by everyone and that every effort and necessary steps must be taken to eradicate it, underlining that Qatar has always been seeking to achieve peace and stability regionally and globally. Qatar has hosted numerous conferences and meetings that are in favor of Islamic issues, such as Doha Conference of Interfaith Dialogue, in order to develop cooperation between different peoples and civilizations on the basis of mutual respect and understanding, he added. HE the Advisory Council Speaker highlighted the need to adopt a studied approach to build bridges of dialogue between the parliamentary union of Islamic Countries and parliaments in other countries, especially heavyweight and influential parliamentary unions to enhance coordination, understanding and dialogue and get their support, 'when our just causes are discussed' in the international forums and platforms. On enhancing the role of women and their empowerment and their contribution to the development process, HE Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khulaifi said that the State of Qatar is keen to provide favourable atmosphere to promote and support their participation in public life where Qatari women have engaged in various areas of work and have been actively participated in the development process and assumed prestigious ministerial and prestigious administrative posts and have already proven their efficiency and excellence. In the area of human rights, HE Al Khulaifi stressed that the Qatar pays great attention for this field as its one of the most important issue on the global level. Qatar has established the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC), he added. The meetings of this session were gaining utmost importance as are being held under critical and complicated conditions experienced by the Islamic world, noting in this regard that the conference agenda is full of many of the important issues that require the participating delegations to consider and reflect the candid and transparent and objective, and do more efforts to examine its data, in order to come out with practical and effective decisions and recommendations. HE Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khulaifi extended thanks and appreciation for the Republic of Sudan president, government and people, our for hosting this important conference. Concluding his speech, HE Al Khulaifi expressed hope that this meeting would reach its objectives and achieve its purposes and visions by coordinating positions in order to strengthen cooperation between the councils of Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). (END)