Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani address to the 72nd UN General Assembly, 19 Sep 2017 — the Qatar-blockade response speech (English translation of Arabic original)

In the Name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful,

Honorable Audience,

[… protocol elided…]

Mr. President,

Maintaining the regional and international peace and security is a priority in the State of Qatar's foreign policy, whose principles and objectives are based on the United Nations Charter and the rules of international legality which calls for constructive cooperation among States, mutual respect and non-interference in the internal affairs, good neighborliness, as well as promoting peaceful coexistence and pursuing peaceful means to settle disputes.

In this context, and after major events such as the Second World War, Rwanda & Burundi and the Balkans in the last century, the danger of the impunity of perpetrators of crimes against humanity and crimes of genocide has come back again to threaten humanity to become the rule rather than the exception, because the international legitimacy is subjected to political pressures, interests of the axes and dictations of force on the ground, which could be a harbinger that the law of force may supersede the force of law.

[… Rohingya / Myanmar paragraphs elided…]

Mr. President,

Every time I stand here I speak in favor of constructive international cooperation, just peace, the rights of peoples under occupation, as well as those who are subjected to crimes against humanity and those who are under siege.

This time, I stand here while my country and my people are subjected to a continuing and unjust blockade imposed since June 5th by neighboring countries. The blockade involves all aspects of life, including the intervention by these countries to sever family ties. Qatar is currently managing successively its living, economy, development plans and its outreach to the outside world, thanks to sea and air routes that these countries have no control over.

The blockade was imposed abruptly and without warning, prompting Qataris to consider it as a kind of betrayal.

It seems that those who planned and implemented it had envisaged that their move would cause a shocking and direct impact that will bring the State of Qatar to its knees and to capitulate to a total tutelage to be imposed on it.

And what is worse, the blockade planners found it necessary to rely on fabricated quotes attributed to me and posted on the website of Qatar News Agency after hacking it. The mobilized and guided media of these countries was ready to launch an all-out campaign of incitement prepared in advance in which all values, morals and norms were breached, and the truth was infringed by a torrent of lies.

Despite the exposure of the hacking and falsification of quotes of the Amir of a sovereign State, the blockading countries did not back down or apologize for lying, but rather intensified their campaign, in the hope that the blockade would cause a cumulative effect on the economy and the society of my country, after it failed to bring about any direct impact.

The perpetrators of the hacking and the falsification of the quotes have committed an assault against a sovereign State. The crime was deliberately committed for political aims, and was followed by a list of political dictations, which contravene sovereignty, and caused worldwide astonishment.

The countries who imposed the unjust blockade on Qatar have intervened in the internal affairs of the State by putting pressure on its citizens through foodstuffs, medicine and ripping off consanguineous relations to force them change their political affiliation to destabilize a sovereign country. Isn't this one of the definitions of terrorism?

This illegal blockade was not confined to the economic aspect and the breach of the WTO Agreement, but it exceeded that to violate the human rights conventions by the arbitrary measures that have caused social, economic and religious harm to thousands of citizens and residents of the GCC countries, due to the violation of the basic human rights to work, education, freedom of movement and the right to dispose of private property.

The countries who imposed the blockade on the State of Qatar interfere in the internal affairs of many countries, and accuse all those who oppose them domestically and abroad with terrorism. By doing so, they are inflicting damage on the war on terror, while at the same time opposing reform and supporting the tyrannical regimes in our region, in whose prisons terrorists are initiated.

We were not alone to be taken by surprise by the imposition of the blockade, as many countries whose leaders have questioned its motives and reasons were also taken by surprise. The blockading countries have promised all those who asked them about the reasons of the blockade to provide them with evidence of their anti-Qatar absurd allegations and fabrications, which kept changing according to the identity of the addressee. Everyone is still waiting for evidence that did not and will not arrive, because it does not exist.

The State of Qatar has fought terrorism — the whole international community bears witness to that — and it is still fighting it and will continue to do that.

We have refused to yield to dictations by pressure and siege, and our people was not satisfied by less than that. At the same time, we have taken an open attitude towards dialogue without dictation, and have expressed our readiness to resolve differences through compromises based on common undertakings.

From here, I renew the call for an unconditional dialogue based on mutual respect for sovereignty and I highly value the sincere and appreciated mediation that the State of Qatar has supported since the beginning, and which was initiated by my brother, His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Amir of the sisterly State of Kuwait.

[… terrorism + Middle East + Yemen + Iran-GCC dialogue paragraphs elided…]

Mr. President,

Israel still stands in the way of achieving a lasting, just and comprehensive peace and rejects the Arab Peace initiative. The Israeli government continues its intransigent approach and strategy to create facts on the ground through expanding settlement construction in the occupied territories, Judaizing Jerusalem and restricting the performance of religious rituals in Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is a serious provocative act, and continuing its blockade of the Gaza Strip.

In order to achieve security and stability in the Gulf region, we renew the call that we have already launched from this podium, for conducting a constructive dialogue between the GCC countries and Iran on the basis of common interests, the principle of good neighborliness, respect for the sovereignty of States and non-interference in their internal affairs.

In conclusion, we reiterate that the State of Qatar will spare no effort in working to strengthen the role and efforts of the United Nations to achieve what the international community seeks in regard to peace and security, and to promote human rights and advance development. Qatar will remain, as is always the case, a safe haven for the oppressed, and will continue its mediation efforts to find just solutions in conflict zones.

Thank you, and may Allah's peace, mercy and blessings be upon you.