Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Qatar

The claims circulating regarding HE Sheikh @MBA_AlThani_ remarks on the negotiations between the United States and Iran, alleging that the two sides have failed to reach an agreement, are entirely false and constitute a deliberate distortion of HE’s statements, as is evident in the video below. We categorically reject these attempts to mislead public opinion and undermine diplomatic efforts at this sensitive time. HE clearly stated that both sides continue to work towards reaching an agreement, and that Qatari mediators remain in close coordination with both parties in support of the ongoing negotiations. Promoting such false claims serves only those seeking to prolong the war and destabilise the region.

HE Sheikh @MBA_AlThani_ participation today at the Oxford Union, & his introduction of the concept of “Thriving States,” offer a new perspective on understanding the nature of these states, their roles & contributions, not only in advancing development & prosperity, but also in promoting peace & stability at the international level.

We categorically deny allegations that Qatar has interfered in Israeli elections or funded any activities intended to influence their outcome. We reject the accusations made by certain Israeli politicians and their contacts in the media, who have launched yet another disinformation campaign aiming to drag Qatar into Israeli political disputes following this week’s elections. They accuse Qatar of buying off Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli political left and now, in this latest campaign, the Arab vote. If these claims were to be believed, Qatar would apparently own all of Israel. These accusations are ridiculous and dangerous in equal measure. The repeated invocation of Qatar in Israeli electoral rhetoric reveals an excessive obsession with our country among certain Israeli political and media figures. Qatar should not be used as a scapegoat for the political failures of certain Israeli politicians. Rather than trying to shift attention onto Qatar, they would be better off focusing on their own voters, improving people’s everyday lives, and undoing the damage they’ve created in the region. We reiterate that we have no involvement in Israel’s political or electoral competition. These are internal Israeli matters in which we do not interfere, and we will not accept any attempt to draw Qatar into its domestic political disputes. Any government emerging from these elections must uphold international law and relevant United Nations resolutions, engage seriously and honestly on the Palestinian issue, and respect the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them their right to self-determination and an independent state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. This requires responsibility and accountability. None of this will distract us from our important role as a mediator, our diplomatic and humanitarian efforts, our support for the Palestinian people, or our commitment to a just and comprehensive peace and regional stability. We will continue working closely with our regional and international partners to resolve ongoing conflicts through diplomacy. We will not remain silent while Qatar’s name is exploited to serve electoral agendas or narrow political interests.

During my participation today at the @GSECForum, I emphasized the importance of sustaining diplomatic mediation efforts & de-escalation. Building trust in the negotiation process & respecting the role of mediators, free from media pressure, are essential to advancing peace efforts. The State of Qatar remains committed to mediation & dialogue, guided by its conviction that sustainable peace requires addressing the root causes of conflicts & strengthening international cooperation.

We categorically reject Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s accusation, made in his address to the UN General Assembly, that the State of Qatar is conducting a campaign to influence public opinion against Israel. This continuing rhetoric against Qatar is nothing more than an attempt to divert attention from the attrocities committed by his government in the occupied Palestinian territories and their grave humanitarian consequences. Reducing the growing shift in global public opinion, particularly among young people, to allegations of “influence campaigns” is an insult to the awareness and judgment of a generation that is witnessing, in real time and before the entire world, what is taking place on the ground and forming its views accordingly. If Netanyahu and other extremist Israeli politicians, who increasingly find themselves addressing empty halls, want the world to view Israel differently, they should begin by changing their policies, stopping breaches of and respecting international law, and taking responsibility before the people who elected them, rather than searching for scapegoats to blame for Israel’s deteriorating global image. Attempts to hold Qatar, or anyone else, responsible for a global shift in public opinion shaped by what people themselves are witnessing are no longer persuasive. These repeated attacks on Qatar can only be understood as an effort to divert attention from political responsibility for policies and practices on the ground, while exploiting Qatar as part of domestic political calculations.