Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani delivered the opening address of the fifth Qatar Economic Forum, in collaboration with Bloomberg, at the Katara Towers, Fairmont and Raffles Hotels, on Tuesday morning.

Earlier, HH The Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani had inaugurated the forum, being held under the theme ‘The Road to 2030: Transforming the Global Economy.’

Sheikh Mohammed, during the speech, said Israel’s military offensive in Gaza undermined peace efforts after the release of US-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander and amid expanded operations in the Palestinian territory.

“When Israeli-American soldier Aidan Alexander was released, we thought that moment would open a door to end this tragedy, but the response was a more violent wave of strikes,” said the Prime Minister. 

“This irresponsible, aggressive behaviour undermines any potential chance for peace,” he said, during the Forum.

The comments come as the Israeli military pressed a newly intensified campaign in the war-ravaged territory. Qatar has been a key mediator in the Gaza war, alongside Egypt and USA.

The Prime Minister said that in the past couple of weeks, negotiations in Doha ‘didn't lead us anywhere yet, because there is a fundamental gap between the two parties.’

“One party is looking for a partial deal that might... lead to a comprehensive deal, and the other party is looking just for a one-off deal... and to end the war and to get all the hostages out,” he said.

“We couldn't bridge this fundamental gap,” he added.

The top official also spoke about Qatar’s offer to gift US President Trump a Boeing 747-8 airplane.

“It’s a normal thing that happens between allies,” said the Prime Minister.

He dismissed concerns about Qatar trying to buy influence with its key ally, after US Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer introduced a bill on Monday that would prevent any foreign aircraft operating as Air Force One, the plane that transports the US president.

“I hope that the United States looks to Qatar as a reliable partner in diplomacy that isn’t trying to buy influence,” he said.

Trump had shrugged off ethical concerns, saying it would be ‘stupid’ to turn down the generous offer.

He said the Boeing 747-8 would eventually be donated to his presidential library — a repository housing research materials from his administration, and that he had no plans to use it for personal reasons after leaving office.

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