Qatari Foreign Minister Khalid al-Attiyah denied that his country objected to the Egyptian initiative for a cease-fire in Gaza, saying that Qatar, Turkey and other friendly countries consider Egypt's role in the Palestinian cause essential.
“The objective of the ministerial meeting in Paris on Saturday was to stop the Israeli aggression and lift the siege on the Gaza Strip,” he said.
The event that was attended by Qatar, Turkey and Western countries, including the United States, had called for a longer extension of the temporary truce in Gaza and the start of negotiations that would lead to a permanent truce.
Attiyah lashed out at Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Minister of Economy Naftali Bennett for claiming that Qatar supports terrorism.
“It is they who practice terrorism,” he said.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
