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Qatar urges Israel to accept change
Friday, Sep 09, 2011
Gulf News
Manama Qatar has called for the ‘equitable’ treatment of Palestinians at the United Nations and urged the international body to help them set up their independent state when they declare its establishment at the UN General Assembly this month.
In an interview to Al Jazeera, Emir Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani said Israel must read the changes sweeping the Arab world and realise the political scene had changed and that it was now in the midst of emerging Arab democracies.
Shaikh Hamad said Qatar supported the Palestinian people in Gaza, a fact with which Israel was not satisfied. “The Hamas government came to power through elections in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Hence, it is considered a legitimate government. And as such, even if we are supporting Hamas, we are backing a legitimate government.”
In remarks on the situation in Libya, Shaikh Hamad denied that Qatar had any ambitions in the North African Arab country. “All know that Qatar is rich and is in no need of others’ help. We interfered there for the sake of the Libyan people. In the meantime, it is unthinkable that the Libyan people would allow their wealth to be plundered or exploited,” he said, quoted by Qatar News Agency (QNA).
On Syria’s reported refusal to receive an Arab League delegation, the Emir said there was no official confirmation of such press reports from Damascus and that the Arab League secretary general would be heading to Damascus with an Arab initiative.
Shaikh Hamad said the conference of the Contact Group on Libya, recently held in Paris, came on the heels of the liberation of most Libyan towns and after the National Transitional Council (NTC), the revolutionaries and the army gained control in most areas.
“I think the most important aspect of the Paris conference was the presence of some 60 countries, a number higher than what we had expected, including ones that hesitated in recognising the NTC.”
The conference, he said, discussed how to help unblock Libyan assets abroad to help the Libyan people pursue development. “The Libyans have already started working out plans to carry out projects for schools and hospitals.”
Shaikh Hamad added: “... the question is whether the revolutions would lead to democracy. The extremism of those is the result of the repressive governments or dictators, but with popular participation extremism could give way to civil life and society.”
By Habib Toumi?Bureau Chief
© Gulf News 2011. All rights reserved.
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