Geneva: Terrorism poses a threat to humanitarian values and principles, and some methods to counter it are not in compliance with international human rights norms, which adds to the suffering caused by terrorism, Qatar’s Permanent Representative to the UN and other international organisations in Geneva said yesterday.
Speaking at the 28th session of the Human Rights Council, Faisal bin Abdullah Al Henzab said: “We share with the UN High Commissioner his view that combating terrorism is one of the great challenges facing our world today”.
He stressed that the fight against terrorism had become an excuse for discrimination based on religion and ethnicity as well as a pretext for authoritarian regimes to suppress their own people.
He said what was worse was that people’s resistance to occupation, the right to which is guaranteed under international conventions, was being called terrorism, and the victims of terrorism were being called criminals while the actions of their oppressors were justified as defence against terrorism.
He noted that Israel was pushing forward its plans and discriminatory policies, particularly with regard to the Judaization of Jerusalem and settlement building while it had halted serious negotiations to achieve peace based on internationally agreed terms of reference.
Al Henzab called on the international community to set a time frame for ending Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and to ensure that Palestinians got their legitimate rights and the right to establish an independent state based on 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and to bring to account those responsible for crimes against them.
Al Henzab described the killings and destruction committed daily by the Syrian regime as the worst humanitarian crises in the modern era, which was having a negative impact across the region.
The Qatari official stressed that the Syrian people were living a real tragedy due to the failure of the international community to resolve the crisis, which had allowed the regime to commit more crimes and terrorist and extremist groups to thrive. Syrians were caught between the tyrannical regime and extremist groups, he said.
Al Henzab also condemned the armed coup carried out by Houthi groups and their supporters against the Yemeni government, which can deepen sectarian and political divides, lead to more human rights violations, and threaten Yemen’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He welcomed resumption of a political dialogue in Libya, urging all parties to immediate stop hostilities and acts of violence and engage seriously in negotiations to end the current political and security crisis in the country and contribute to the promotion and protection of human rights.
He stressed that Qatar would continue to promote partnerships with regional and international organisations to support humanitarian and development efforts aimed at protecting and promoting human rights.
THE PENINSULA
