Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani participated in a session hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations in New York on Wednesday, focusing on Qatar’s regional and international role and its joint mediation efforts to end the war in Gaza.

Addressing recent developments, Sheikh Mohammed noted that the ceasefire violations in Gaza over the past twenty-four hours were disappointing yet unsurprising, given Qatar’s past experience mediating similar agreements.

“What happened was expected during a ceasefire period,” he said, adding that Qatar remains engaged with both parties to preserve the truce, with the United States playing a key role. He acknowledged that the incident constituted a violation but said all sides recognized the need to maintain the ceasefire and honor the agreement.

The Prime Minister described the escalatory events of Tuesday as ‘deeply frustrating,’ explaining that Qatar immediately mobilized efforts to contain the situation in close coordination with Washington.

He reaffirmed that Palestinians and Israelis alike must be able to live in safety, emphasizing that the objective of the disarmament process is to end armed activity and build a unified Palestinian entity as the sole legitimate authority to bear arms.

Resolving the conflict, he said, requires addressing its root causes by creating a political horizon that enables both peoples to coexist within a two-state framework.

Sheikh Mohammed condemned the treacherous Israeli attack on Qatar on September 9, calling it shocking not only for Qatar but for the entire world. The strike, he explained, targeted a well-known residential area used for negotiations, surrounded by schools, embassies, and other buildings, inflicting a profound psychological impact on the Qatari people.

He said Qatar used every legal and diplomatic channel to ensure the attack would not be repeated and to protect its citizens before resuming mediation efforts.

The Prime Minister recounted that the day after the attack, HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani spoke with US President Donald Trump, who suggested that the tragedy could become an opportunity to push forward efforts to end the Gaza war. Despite active communication with Israel, Qatar stayed closely engaged with Washington to reach a resolution.

Sheikh Mohammed said Qatar valued its partnership with the USA, noting that President Trump, the Vice President, and the Secretary of State confirmed that Washington had no prior knowledge of the attack.

He accepted that the strike was an Israeli decision but said targeting an ongoing mediation felt like ‘a betrayal.’ At the time, negotiations involving Colombia, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo were taking place only a few hundred metres from the site, underscoring the attack’s recklessness.

He added that the incident affected how the Gulf Co-operation Council now views Israel, as it demonstrated that any state in the region could be a target. Nevertheless, he stressed that Qatar would continue to prioritize diplomacy and uphold its responsibility to safeguard citizens while ensuring its mediating role remains effective.

On mediation, Sheikh Mohammed said Qatar’s quiet, behind-the-scenes approach enables effective conflict resolution and prevention, describing mediation as a constitutional principle rooted in Qatar’s founding under Sheikh Jassim, who championed dialogue and peace. Qatar’s trusted reputation, he added, has extended globally — from Latin America to Africa and Asia.

Regarding Afghanistan, he said factions within the country seek openness and better relations with the world, predicting that these groups will prevail. He called for a shift in international policy toward a more constructive approach: rewarding positive actions instead of punishing shortcomings, as a way to steer Afghanistan toward stability.

On relations with the US, Sheikh Mohammed highlighted the strength of bilateral cooperation in economic, security, defense, and energy sectors, stressing that maintaining and protecting this partnership remains a Qatari priority.

He also addressed Iran’s regional role, describing it as a vital neighbour with which Qatar shares the world’s largest gas field. He underscored that Iran’s stability is essential, advocating for a nuclear-free Middle East while recognizing Iran’s right to develop peaceful nuclear energy within international law.

Expressing concern over rising tensions between Israel and Iran, he said Qatar is engaging diplomatically with both Washington and Tehran to help bring talks back on track, confident that serious negotiations could yield a solution beneficial to all.

In closing, Sheikh Mohammed reaffirmed that Qatar remains a steadfast advocate for peace and dialogue, committed to overcoming challenges and continuing its vital regional and international mediation role.

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