The Shura Council State of Qatar

The Shura Council held on Monday its ordinary weekly session, under the chairmanship of HE Speaker of the Shura Council Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim.

At the outset of the session, the Council appreciated the participation of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, along with Their Majesties, Excellencies, Highnesses, heads of states and heads of delegations, in the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary summit, which was held in Riyadh on Saturday.

The Council praised the contents of HH the Amir's speech, which expressed the feelings of all Arab and Islamic peoples and peace-loving peoples of the world, by pointing out the failure of the international community to take action that would stop the massacres and put an end to the hostile war on Gaza Strip. The Council also hailed His Highness' call on the United Nations to dispatch crews to conduct an immediate investigation into the claims and allegations used by Israel to permit the bombing of hospitals in Gaza.

The Council also praised the affirmation in HH the Amir's speech of the State of Qatar's firm and historical position in support of the steadfastness of the brotherly Palestinian people and their just cause as well as His Highness' call for urgently reaching a humanitarian ceasefire, permanently opening safe humanitarian crossings to deliver aid without obstacles or conditions, and His Highness emphasis that the only sustainable solution to this issue is the one that establishes the foundations of justice in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative.

In this regard, HE Speaker of the Shura Council Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim asserted that HH the Amir's speech before the summit was marked by candidness and transparency, it ushered in a novel historical era in addressing the Palestinian predicament and standing up against the marginalization perpetuated by the occupying entity. His Excellency indicated that it was an expression of the consciences of all free peoples, and that it included strong contents calling on the Arab and Islamic worlds to take action and take a firm stance and deterrent measures within international legitimacy and based on the political, economic and popular weight they have.

In the same context, the Shura Council condemned the continued massacres perpetuated by the occupying entity against the defenseless Palestinian people, its continued destruction of all forms of life in Gaza, and its continued bombing of population centers and educational and health facilities to which civilians took refuge believing that they were safe from the crimes of the occupying entity in accordance with international law and humanitarian norms.

The Council denounced the international community's failure to stop the massacres that claimed more than ten lives, 70 percent of whom were women and children, expressing its categorical rejection of forced displacement of the residents of northern Gaza and all the brotherly Palestinian people from their land, and pushing them to neighboring countries.

The Council warned against the consequences of leading such policy, as it is considered a war crime against humanity prohibited by international law.

Furthermore, the Council underlined the need for world parliaments and parliamentary unions to take action to protect the Palestinian people from the ongoing crimes, violations and massacres committed by the Israeli occupation forces. 

After that, HE Secretary-General of the Shura Council Dr. Ahmed bin Nasser Al Fadala read out the session's agenda, and the minutes of the previous session were approved.

During the session, the Council discussed the response of the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers to the proposal submitted by the Council related to the topic " The phenomenon of Qatari teachers' unwillingness to join the teaching career," the topic that the Council raised in its first session of the current legislative term, as part of a request for general discussion submitted by a number of Their Excellencies the members.

The Shura Council had discussed in previous sessions the aforementioned topic, and in its previous session, it concluded by submitting a proposal at the request of the esteemed government, which included the Council's views and proposals regarding the aforementioned topic.

The proposal included a number of views and proposals that would contribute to reducing this phenomenon and developing solutions for it.

After reviewing the response of the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers to the proposal submitted by the Council, it decided to refer it to the Cultural Affairs and Information Committee to study it and provide the Council with its conclusions regarding it.

The Council also reviewed a draft law amending some provisions of Law No. 9 of 1987 on Control and Regulation of Control and Regulation of Narcotic Drugs and Dangerous Psychotropic Substances (NDDPS) as referred to it by the esteemed government, and after extensive discussions on it, the Council approved the aforementioned draft law.

In another context, HE Speaker of the Shura Council Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim briefed Their Excellencies the members on the results and outcomes of the 17th periodic meeting of Their Highnesses and Excellencies Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Speakers of Shura, Representatives, National and Ummah Councils, which was held in Doha last Tuesday.

Within this framework, HE Speaker of the Shura Council referred to the active participation in the meeting by the heads of the Gulf legislative councils, in an effort to enhance cooperation and integration between the councils in supporting joint Gulf action, in addition to emphasizing the importance of coordination and unifying positions and visions in regional and international parliamentary forums regarding issues of priority to the GCC countries.

His Excellency stated that the results of the meeting focused on supporting the just causes of the brotherly Palestinian people so that they regain all their legitimate rights, most importantly the establishment of their independent state in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative, in addition to emphasizing the rejection, denunciation and condemnation of the barbaric aggression, genocide and brutal massacres committed by the Israeli occupation forces in Gaza and throughout the occupied Palestinian territories, demanding the need to stop the aggression and protect the brotherly Palestinian people, and the need to allow the rapid entry of aid into the Gaza Strip without obstacles.

HE Speaker of the Shura Council thanked all the parties and institutions that contributed to the success of the meeting of the heads of the Gulf legislative councils, praising their efforts in this aspect.
On the other hand, the Council reviewed the report on the participation of HE Eng. Ahmad bin Hitmi Al Hitmi and HE Mohammed bin Fahad Al Musallam in the meeting of the Standing Committee on Budget and Planning  of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA), which was hosted by the Iranian capital, Tehran, last July.

HE the Shura Council member Al Hitmi indicated that the Council delegation also participated in the second session of the APA's Working Group on Statutory Document, that touched on enhancing the association's work and building its capabilities, as well as discussing the institutional steps that will be taken to enhance the association's efficiency and organizational capacity.