Al-Khulaifi reaffirms Qatar's firm stance towards Palestinian cause

HE the Speaker of the Advisory Council Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khulaifi said that Qatar under the leadership of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani has firm stance in support of the just Palestinian cause.In a speech at the opening session of the 20th Conference of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union (AIPU) in Kuwait, HE the Speaker of the Advisory Council pointed to what Qatar has provided and is doing in support of the Palestinian cause, making a reference to Qatar's role in the reconstruction of Gaza and sending emergency relief materials to mitigate the effects of the storm winds that swept through Gaza recently.HE Al Khulaifi also underlined Qatar's support to the Palestinian cause by defending it at all international platforms.He stressed that the Palestinian cause is the number one priority for all Arabs and Muslims, adding that the unarmed Palestinian people are subjected to the worst forms of killing and torture as well as the continued brutal practices of the Israeli occupation. Different types of discrimination, exclusion and displacement are committed against the Palestinians in the city of Al Quds within the framework of Israeli policies that aim to expel them from Al Quds, he said, pointing to other Israeli practices such as the reduction of the services necessary for the wellbeing of Palestinians and the withdrawal of their identities. All these efforts are at the heart of the judaization of Al Quds, he stressed? HE Al Khulaifi also drew attention to the Israeli excavation under the Al Aqsa Mosque in order to demolish and remove all its Islamic characteristics, in addition to the continued expansion of building settlements by Israel in the Palestinian land, which constitutes a flagrant violation of the international norms and conventions.Speaking about the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli negotiations mediated by the U.S., as well as the frequent visits by Secretary of State John Kerry aimed at reaching an agreement on the outstanding issues between the Palestinian and Israeli sides, HE Al Khulaifi hoped that those negotiations would continue to find a peaceful and just solution for all these issues.HE the Speaker of the Advisory Council also urged parliamentarians to call on the international community to pressure Israel to lift its unjust blockade on the Gaza Strip, open border crossings, put an end to its inhuman practices against Palestinians, and to immediately release all prisoners and detainees in its jails including parliamentarians. ???? He called on Palestinians to work together to overcome their divisions and achieve national reconciliation for the sake of the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian people.? HE Al Khulaifi also called for supporting Palestinian people to recover their legitimate rights and establish their independent state on Palestinian soil with Al Quds as its capital.?At the beginning of his speech, HE the Speaker of the Advisory Council extended his thanks and appreciation to the Emir, government and people of Kuwait for hosting the 20th Conference of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union (AIPU). He also expressed his thanks as well to Kuwait National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim, who is also Chairman of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union, and to the members of the Assembly for the warm reception and hospitality.