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Jan 17, 2025
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Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Bin Jassim Aal Thani: The Gaza Hostage Deal Is The Same Agreement We Formulated In December 2023; Israeli Incursion Into Syria Is Unacceptable; Negotiations Should Focus On The Occupied Golan Heights, Not The Buffer Zone

#11761 | 01:45
Source: Al-Jazeera Network (Qatar)

On January 17, 2025, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Bin Jassim Aal Thani told Al-Jazeera Network (Qatar) that the recently-signed hostage release and ceasefire agreement signed between Israel and Hamas "is the same agreement that we worked to formulate and was confirmed by the parties in December 2023." On the subject of Israel's military advance into southern Syria following the recent toppling of Syria's Bashar Al-Assad regime, he said that Israel's incursion into Syria, destruction of Syrian military arsenals and assets, and creation of a buffer zone in southern Syria is "reckless" and "unacceptable." He also said that he has spoken with HTS leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa (also known by his nom de guerre Abu Muhammad Al-Joulani) and that he told him that Israel must withdraw, that Israeli military incursions into Syria must not become a "new reality that needs to be negotiated," and that "things need to go back to how they were" with negotiations being about the Israeli Golan Heights and not about Israel's current buffer zone, "without making any additional demands." He added: "Inshallah, this will be resolved as soon as possible."

Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Bin Jassim Aal Thani: "The [Gaza hostage and ceasefire] agreement that was signed the day before yesterday is the same agreement that we worked to formulate and was confirmed by the parties in December 2023.

[...]

"Unfortunately, the reckless measure that Israel took on the first day of the fall of Damascus into the hands of the rebels was unacceptable. First of all, the destruction of the capabilities of the Syrian people, the weapon arsenals of the Syrian army... Unfortunately, the purpose of these weapons is to protect the Syrian people. The same goes for the incursion into and occupation of the buffer zone. Both of these things are unacceptable. I spoke in detain about this with the leader of the new Syrian administration, and I stressed that [Israel] must withdraw, and that we must not let such incursions create a new reality that needs to be negotiated. No, this is a buffer zone, and the negotiations should be about the occupied Golan Heights. Things need to go back to how they were, without making any additional demands. Inshallah, this will be resolved as soon as possible."

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