Qatari Newspapers Editorials
Doha, January 28 (QNA) - In their Sunday editorials, Qatari newspapers highlighted Qatar's continued efforts to alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip, stressing the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire and the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid to the affected Palestinian citizens with no obstacles.
In this context, they refer to the upcoming United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting to discuss the International Court of Justice's recent decision. The verdict, issued Friday, called on Israel to take all measures to prevent genocidal acts. The UNSC meeting held at the request of Algeria aims to give the ICJ's decision a binding force regarding the provisional measures imposed on the Israeli occupation.
In local affairs, the newspapers praised the exceptional progress in the tourism sector in Qatar, thanks to its unprecedented global success in hosting the World Cup, which had a positive impact on all aspects of tourism, as hospitality rates saw a significant increase, welcoming around four million visitors last year.
Al-Sharq newspaper said that the State of Qatar continues its efforts to alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza by providing humanitarian aid and treatment for injured Palestinian individuals in Doha. Over 500 people have been transported from Gaza as part of Qatar's commitment to treating 1500 Palestinians injured during the Israeli aggression, as well as sponsoring 3000 children who have lost their parents in the region.
Qatar is determined to cooperate with all international partners to ensure the sustainable flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, underscoring the necessity of delivering aid to all areas of the Strip without hindrance, especially in light of the suffering caused by ongoing conflict and siege, it added.
Al-Sharq concluded by highlighting the urgent need for more supplies than those currently entering through the Rafah crossing, as Israeli aggression has resulted in an unprecedented humanitarian and health crisis, increasing the demand for food and medical supplies. This calls for Arab and international pressures, first to stop the bloodshed, enforce international law and humanitarian law to hold the Israeli occupation accountable for its crimes and acts of genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza, stop the aggression, and bring humanitarian aid without restrictions into the Gaza Strip.
In turn, Al-Raya newspaper said that Qatar is intensifying its diplomatic and humanitarian efforts to halt the Israeli aggression in Gaza, stressing the necessity of an immediate ceasefire and the flow of aid to the affected.
Since the beginning of the siege on the Gaza Strip, Qatar has consistently provided aid and supported the establishment of various social, health, and economic projects in the Strip, making it a fundamental issue on Qatar's foreign policy agenda. Qatar continues its relentless efforts to stop the ongoing Israeli aggression, which has now persisted for more than 110 days, the paper said.
Al-Raya concluded by stating that during a visit to a group of injured and wounded Palestinians from Gaza in Doha to check on their condition, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) Maryam bint Abdullah Al Attiyah affirmed that the Israeli war on Gaza has led to an unprecedented humanitarian and health catastrophe. HE called for effective Arab and international pressure to uphold international law and humanitarian law, holding the Israeli occupation accountable for the crimes and acts of genocide committed against the Palestinian people in Gaza.
Under the title "Continuous Aggression", Al-Watan newspaper said in its editorial that the United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday following the International Court of Justice's ruling regarding the Gaza Strip, which called on Israel to prevent any potential "genocide" in the Gaza Strip, according to the French presidency of the council. This meeting, which will be convened at the request of Algeria, aims to give an executable form to decisions by a UN court regarding provisional and urgent measures imposed on Israel., as stated by the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The immediate cease fire is a practical and on-the-ground requirement to compel the Israeli occupation to implement the measures endorsed by the International Court of Justice, in order to protect civilians and secure their basic humanitarian needs. This is because the execution of the International Court of Justice's decision cannot be achieved while the Israeli aggression continues under any circumstances. The statements made by Israeli officials clearly indicate that the Israeli entity is not inclined to comply with the court's decision, as it insists on continuing this aggression, including obstructing the entry of humanitarian aid, the newspaper noted.
In conjunction with these developments, Canada announced on Saturday the suspension of its funding for the UN refugee agency for Palestinians (UNRWA). This decision comes after the United States made a similar announcement, alleging that some employees of the UN agency were involved in the "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood", Al-Watan added.
The newspaper concluded by saying that these are actions that can only be understood within the context of skepticism towards international laws, with the aim of undermining the decisions of the International Court of Justice and enabling Israel to continue its aggressive war. This is especially significant since Canada's and the United States' announcements come just a few days before the meeting of the Security Council to consider the decision of the International Court of Justice.
Under the title "International Court of Justice Decision: A Welcome Development," The Peninsula newspaper said in its editorial that the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to order Israel to take necessary actions to prevent potential acts of genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip has been widely praised by world leaders, rights advocates, and legal experts.
Although the ICJ did not explicitly call for a cease fire, it acknowledged the credible risk of genocide in the heavily bombarded Palestinian enclave and rejected the dismissal of the case brought by South Africa.
The ICJ’s ruling in The Hague has also reunited calls to halt the transfer of weapons to the Israeli government, which critics argue contributes to complicity and violates international law. This includes arms shipments from the United States, Israel’s primary supporter, the newspaper noted.
In reality, the ICJ’s ruling is legally binding on Israel, just like the Genocide Convention and Geneva Conventions.Therefore, there is no question that Israel must take concrete steps to alleviate the "catastrophic humanitarian situation" identified by the court and restore conditions that can sustain life in Gaza, rather than jeopardize its existence. Specifically, Israel must promptly and without arbitrary restrictions allow the entry of food, water, medical aid, fuel, and other essential humanitarian supplies into Gaza, The Peninsula concluded.
In the local issue, Al-Arab newspaper said that Tourism is currently experiencing a remarkable surge, thanks to the unprecedented global success in hosting the World Cup. This success has had a positive impact on all sectors of tourism, and the hospitality sector has witnessed a significant increase like never before, resulting in the reception of approximately 4 million visitors last year.
Doha, the capital of Arab tourism, has achieved many significant accomplishments, further solidifying the country's rising status as a leading tourist destination in the world, as confirmed by the World Tourism Organization. Qatar has been recognized as the top-performing tourist destination globally in 2023. The tourism sector is receiving a strong boost thanks to the extension of the validity of Haya card to its current holders and the relaunch of the Haya platform to become a unified portal for issuing visas for visitors coming to Qatar, the newspaper noted.
Al Arab concluded by saying that Qatar is committed to maintaining its tourism momentum and welcoming more visitors by providing a tourism experience that combines authentic cultural heritage and civilization in an attractive and secure environment. Qatar's achievements in tourism are reflected in its receipt of three global awards: The World's Leading Business Travel Destination,' the 'World's Leading Sports Tourism Destination' and the World's Leading Marketing Campaign. These prestigious awards recognize Qatar's excellence in the tourism sector and its continued efforts to enhance its position as a leading tourist destination on the global tourism map. (QNA)
