His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani's speech to the Shura Council was both historic and inspiring, and on multiple levels. I know that Qataris are enthused about the domestic reforms he has been shepherding, but all Arabs should take pride in his statements about the crisis gripping the region and how to end it.
As a Lebanese in particular, I was both grateful and gratified at his latest articulation of the stand he has taken on the wars in Palestine and Lebanon, just as I have been continually impressed by the mediating role he has played since the very beginning.
Israeli intransigence has limited the achievements of that role, but His Highness the Amir and his advisers have neither given up, nor given in. His speech rightly identified Israeli opportunism as the driving force behind the spread of the conflict in the region, and his continuing focus on human rights and international law demonstrates the lofty principles that govern Qatar’s foreign policy.
The international community has failed utterly to end this ugly war, abandoning the rules and values that are supposed to unite all of humanity, and leading to a very dangerous situation that threatens the security and stability of the entire region. By contrast, His Highness the Amir’s insistence on the need to pursue dialogue and preventive diplomacy, even as he stands shoulder to shoulder with the Lebanese and their brothers and sisters in Palestine, shows both wisdom and courage.
Following this kind of principled course demands patience and skill, steadfast support for conciliatory political solutions, insistence on the peaceful settlement of disputes, and engagement in mediation when that is possible. Lebanon has thanked Qatar for its invaluable support and its continued calls for an end to Israel’s bloody aggression against the Lebanese people, and the implementation of international resolutions, including UN Security Council Resolution 1701 of 2006. All Arabs should do the same, and join their voices to His Highness the Amir’s, especially since this can only add to Qatar’s influence and hasten the arrival of peace.
*Dr Roudi Baroudi is the CEO of Energy & Environment Holding, an independent consultancy based in Doha, Qatar
