HH Sayyid Shihab Heads Oman’s Delegation in Emergency
Arab-Islamic Summit in Doha
Doha,
15 Sep (ONA) — On behalf of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin
Tarik, HH Sayyid Shihab bin Tarik Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for
Defense Affairs headed the Sultanate of Oman’s delegation participating in
the Emergency Arab-Islamic Summit in the Qatari capital, Doha. The summit was
attended by Their Majesties, Excellencies, and Highnesses, the heads of the
participating delegations.
Sheikh
Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar led the welcoming party
for HH Sayyid Shihab upon his arrival at the venue of convening the summit.
At the
outset of the summit, the Deputy Prime Minister for Defense Affairs conveyed
the greetings of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik along with his deep
appreciation for the efforts of the State of Qatar in hosting the Emergency
Arab-Islamic Summit taking place in Doha at an exceptionally critical
moment in world history.
The
text of the HH Sayyid Shihab’s speech reads as follows:
“It is my
honour to begin by conveying the greetings of His Majesty Sultan Haitham
bin Tarik along with his deep appreciation for the efforts of our sisterly
nation, the State of Qatar, in hosting this emergency summit at an
exceptionally critical moment in world history.
Your
Majesties, Excellencies, Highnesses, and distinguished attendees,
The
treacherous attack that targeted the sisterly State of Qatar has made clear
the gravity of the phase we are experiencing and the expanding scope of the
war being waged by Israel in our region – in disregard of international
law, legitimacy, and the sanctity of innocent lives. The targeting of
Qatar, one of the foremost nations working tirelessly toward de-escalation
and the revival of the peace process in Palestine, only distances us
further from the noble goal we all seek: a just and comprehensive peace
that fulfills the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
The
Sultanate of Oman strongly condemns this reprehensible aggression and
affirms its full solidarity with the State of Qatar – its leadership,
government, and people. We emphasize here that the security of Qatar is an
integral part of the security of the entire Gulf region, and indeed of the
entire Arab and Islamic nation.
Yet our
duty today extends beyond condemnation. It requires tangible and practical
steps, particularly on the legal and diplomatic fronts. We must take action
at the United Nations, the Security Council, and the General Assembly. We
must employ the tools of international law to hold Israel accountable for
its crimes and violations, and we must work together to halt this dangerous
trajectory that threatens international peace as a whole.
The
Sultanate of Oman believes that the silence of the international community
in the face of these violations fuels impunity and encourages further
aggression. Therefore, we call on this gathering to mark the beginning of a
serious and unified effort – one that translates Arab and Islamic
solidarity into clear positions and tangible pressure to end the
occupation, halt the assaults, and restore the authority of international
legitimacy.
Your
Majesties, Excellencies, Highnesses, and distinguished attendees,
Our meeting
today serves to affirm that our Arab and Islamic nation is capable of
confronting challenges when it stands united. We are certain that unity is
the optimal path to safeguarding the future of our peoples and protecting
our nations.
Peace be
upon you, and God’s mercy and blessings.”
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir
of the State of Qatar, inaugurated the summit’s proceedings with a speech in
which he emphasized that the Israeli aggression against Qatar had shocked the
entire world and deliberately targeted its mediation efforts concerning the war
in Gaza.
Sheikh Tamim noted that Qatar is a
nation of mediation and has been making strenuous efforts for two years to
reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza and end the deadly war being waged against
the Palestinian people. He underscored that Israel not only rejects peace with
its neighbours but also seeks to impose its will upon them.
Hissein Brahim Taha,
Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), voiced in
his address his strong condemnation of Israel’s blatant attack on the State of
Qatar and endorsed any measures it takes to protect its security and
sovereignty. He called on the United Nations Security Council to shoulder its
responsibilities and hold Israel accountable for its crimes.
Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General
of the Arab League, affirmed that the Israeli aggression against Qatari
sovereignty exceeded all bounds and violated every humanitarian principle. He
stated that the absence of accountability and impunity only emboldens Israeli
leaders to continue their crimes.
The summit examined measures to respond
to the heinous Israeli strike that targeted high-ranking Hamas officials on
Qatari soil, its grave consequences, and its flagrant breach of sovereignty
which threatens regional stability. Delegates worked to develop a coordinated
response to this act of aggression while also strengthening collective Arab and
Islamic cooperation to address ongoing security and political challenges
throughout the region.
The summit also discussed means to back
efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza and the pivotal role played by Qatari mediation
in this context, along with reaffirming the central importance of the
Palestinian cause and the necessity of reaching a just and comprehensive
solution in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab
Peace Initiative.
The Omani delegation accompanying the
Deputy Prime Minister for Defense Affairs included Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al
Busaidi, Foreign Minister; Sultan bin Salim Al Habsi, Minister of Finance; Dr.
Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Sa’eedi, Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs; Dr.
Abdullah bin Nasser Al Harrasi, Minister of Information; Sheikh Khalifa bin Ali
Al Harthy, Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry for Political Affairs; and Sayyid
Ammar bin Abdullah Al Busaidi, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to the State
of Qatar.
— Ends/Khalid
