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His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia;

 His Excellency Mr. Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the friendly Republic of France;

 His Excellency the Secretary-General of the United Nations;

 His Excellency the President of the General Assembly;

 Your Excellencies;

Distinguished attendees;

I would like to begin by expressing my sincere appreciation to His Excellency President Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, and to His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for their joint initiative in organizing this historic conference under the auspices of the United Nations. This conference addresses one of the prolonged issues of peace and security, and one of the last remaining manifestations of colonial injustice on the international agenda.

Distinguished attendees,

Although this conference represents a glimmer of hope, we are navigating a critical juncture in the region, amidst a devastating war waged by Israel on the Gaza Strip for two years and an escalating humanitarian crisis affecting over two million individuals, the majority of whom are women and children.

In one of the most harrowing and painful moments of this tragedy, we witnessed scenes that represent a disgrace to humanity as a whole—civilians, weakened by starvation and siege, killed while standing in queues waiting for a loaf of bread, a bag of flour, or a meal to sustain their children. What future can be built upon the corpses of the starving queues? And what peace can emerge amidst this level of starvation, humiliation, and killing?

In the face of this catastrophic situation, the State of Qatar has spared no effort in undertaking diplomatic endeavors to halt the bloodshed of innocent lives, alleviate their suffering, and secure the release of hostages and detainees. The State of Qatar, based on its unwavering stance, has condemned all forms of targeting civilians. However, we categorically reject double standards, as a human is a human, and a child is a child. No one has the right to discriminate against innocent people and their right to life based on political, racial, or other grounds.

The matter has reached the point where the normalization of using starvation and targeting hospitals as methods of warfare has become a precedent that can no longer be accepted, as if it has turned into a routine practice in every conflict. The State of Qatar reiterates its unequivocal rejection of the use of food as a tool of pressure or a weapon in conflicts, and strongly condemns the policies of blockade and forced displacement being practiced against innocent civilians, as well as the repeated targeting of hospitals, shelters for displaced persons, and vital facilities, in blatant violation of international law.

Excellencies, 

The mediation efforts undertaken by the State of Qatar, in partnership with the sisterly Arab Republic of Egypt and the United States of America, have yielded tangible results, manifested in the delivery of substantial quantities of aid and the release of hundreds of hostages and detainees from both sides.

Despite recurring obstacles, attempts to undermine the humanitarian trajectory, and the demonization of the efforts of mediating states, our efforts continue with the aim of achieving an immediate ceasefire, paving the way towards the end of the crisis, and the initiation of recovery and reconstruction efforts. This necessitates that all parties exhibit a sense of responsibility and support all initiatives aimed at achieving this goal. 

Distinguished attendees, 

The war against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip has not only resulted in unprecedented suffering for innocent civilians, but has also undermined the credibility of international law and the universal values upon which the institutions of the international community have been founded since the Second World War.

On the other hand, it has proved that policies of force have failed, and will continue to fail, in liquidating the Palestinian cause. All that such policies have achieved is the exacerbation of further tragedies, bitterness, feelings of injustice, and scenes of killing and destruction that will remain etched in the memory of peoples across the globe. The calamities caused by the war and its political failure underscore the necessity of achieving a just and comprehensive resolution to the Palestinian cause. The key lies in acknowledging the injustice inflicted upon the Palestinian people and implementing justice that has been delayed for approximately eighty years.

Driven by its unwavering commitment to peace, the State of Qatar reaffirms its full support for the objectives of this conference and its dedication to playing an active role in ensuring its success and promoting opportunities for a peaceful resolution in the Middle East.

In this context, the State of Qatar, in collaboration with Canada and Mexico, co-chaired the third working group of the conference, which focused on the theme of "Peace Narratives." This group addressed significant topics and concluded with priority principles and proposals aimed at achieving the overarching goal of the conference. To create an enabling environment for sustainable peace, there is a pressing need to promote positive narratives that support peace between both sides, grounded in the rejection of violence, the refusal of incitement rhetoric, and the countering of attempts to dehumanize the other party.

Distinguished attendees, 

The State of Qatar reaffirms its steadfast position in supporting the peaceful resolution of the Palestinian cause in accordance with the principles of international law and relevant international legitimacy resolutions, based on the two-state solution as the only viable option for putting an end to the conflict and achieving the just and comprehensive peace.

From this standpoint, Qatar calls for a clear and unified international stance that rejects all practices that serve to obstruct negotiations and opportunities for achieving just and comprehensive peace. In this context, we welcome the recognition of the State of Palestine by several states, within the borders of June 4, 1967, encompassing the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, as we firmly believe that this constitutes a fundamental step toward achieving regional and international security and stability.

We also welcome the commitment of the friendly French Republic to recognize the State of Palestine next September.

Distinguished attendees, 

The convening of this conference embodies a collective will of the international community to translate words into actions and to seriously contribute towards advancing the trajectory of the peaceful resolution of the Palestinian cause in all its dimensions. The international community bears a pivotal role in creating the appropriate conditions for reaching a permanent and just solution, by restoring the credibility of international legitimacy following this horrific war and providing the necessary political, economic, and humanitarian support.

We hope that this conference will serve as a turning point leading to tangible commitments that go beyond statements and positions, and pave the way for practical steps toward implementing the two-state solution, in a way that ensures a just, comprehensive, and lasting resolution to the conflict, and contributes to the establishment of peace, security, and stability across the entire region.

Thank you,