HE Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassem Bin Jabor Al-Thani Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs stressed that the discussions and deliberations of the Arab Peace Initiative Committee held on Saturday at the level of ministers of foreign affairs took place in a serious atmosphere as regards the issue of peace process between the Palestinian and the Israeli sides and the escalating Israeli threats against Syria and Lebanon. The comments of HE Sheikh Hamad came at the conclusion of the Emergency Meeting of the Arab Peace Initiative Committee on Saturday May 1, 2010 in Cairo.
Regarding the timetable assigned for the indirect negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis, HE said that two months have elapsed of this period and there remain two months and the situation will be evaluated periodically and within the following days, the indirect talks shall begin and the timetable that we assigned shall begin simultaneously." HE added "We didn't give an additional timetable regarding the indirect talks between the Palestinians and the Israelis, and we are committed to the statement issued by the committee on March 3." HE went on to add "We do not trust Israel but we found some positive signs by the US mediator and we agreed to give him a time limit based upon a conviction on the part of our Palestinian brothers." HE pointed out that the deadline was not extended and work started on March2 according to the timetable and talks will take 24 months to conclude all issues. "And in case positive signs arise during the upcoming days we will continue our efforts, but we can not talk about the feasibility of one or two months." added Sheikh Hamad.
HE expressed hope that the US administration will contribute to healing the rift between the Palestinian and Israeli sides but pointed out that failure is still possible because Israel tailors peace as it wishes according to its predilections adding "We will not accept the peace that Israel wants which contravenes international legitimacy." HE warned of the grievous human conditions in Gaza strip saying that there are one and a half million Palestinians besieged in Gaza without a cover or medicine and they want peace and we sensed seriousness at the American side to reach a solution to this issue and we shall give a chance to the American administration and not to Israel because there are internal outbiddings that they can not progress in this or that file. Eventually, US administration arrived at a conviction that it has interest with 300 million Arabs and more than a billion Muslims and the chance that we and our Palestinian brethren shall give will be to the US administration and this requires a decision and a unified Arab stance even in case of failure.
In response to a question regarding what is hoped for and if there are alternatives in case of failure, HE said "We pin hope on the American role but I am not sure of the results as there have been many failures since Madrid conference and we may be escaping forward because we, as Arabs, do not have a choice neither strategic nor economic, and it is necessary for the Arab states to be more forceful in their decisions and stances and they should not change their views, which is a chronic Arab problem but we should understand that "Almighty Allah does not change a nation until they change themselves."
HE denounced the idea of convening a US-sponsored conference on the peace process and wondered: How can we accept a peace conference called for by the US administration after it had failed in the peace course and negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis.?" HE drew attention to the fact that it is not possible to trade in the Palestinian cause and the Palestinians and in case talks fail, we will acknowledge that because we paid effort and it is possible to fail, and surely, future generations might restore the lost rights and we have to concentrate on confronting the Israeli siege imposed on Gaza which is oppressive and it is our duty to save the Palestinians who are part of us and we are part of them."
Replying to a question about the Israeli threats to Syria and Lebanon, HE said that "He who is safe from punishment misbehaves.", and Israel behaves on his principle but the public trend in USA and Europe wants to determine which serves their interests best, who achieves strategic and economic interests: the Arab or someone else. HE elaborated "We all have to stand with our brethren in Syria and Lebanon with deeds and actions if Israel makes another adventure."