You cannot resolve or come to a solution if you have no one to talk to non-state actors, Sheikh Mohammed told the Doha Forum
Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani speaks at the 23rd edition of the Doha Forum during a session moderated by American journalist Tucker Carlson. Photo: X
In a region struggling with conflict from Afghanistan to Gaza, Qatar on Sunday pushed for inclusive political engagement, even with non-state actors, as the only realistic path to lasting stability.
Speaking at the 23rd edition of the Doha Forum, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani said lasting peace requires direct communication with all parties involved in a conflict, including armed groups often shunned by Western capitals.
In a session moderated by American journalist Tucker Carlson, Sheikh Mohammed said regional crises, whether in Afghanistan, Palestine or beyond, cannot be resolved by excluding key players on the ground. “You can’t resolve or come to a solution if you don’t have anyone to talk to non-state actors,” he said.
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It is noteworthy that Qatar is one of the mediators trying to seek a rapprochement between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban regime.
He noted that Qatar’s long-standing approach to mediation has been shaped by this principle, which has underpinned its involvement in negotiations from the Afghanistan peace process to repeated cease-fire efforts in Gaza.
Sheikh Mohammed explained that Qatar’s relationship with Hamas began more than a decade ago at the request of the United States, which wanted a reliable channel of communication with the Palestinian militant group. “When they moved their office here in 2012, it was only used for communication and to facilitate ceasefires and aid to Gaza,” he said.
Similarly, he said the Taliban’s political office in Doha, established in 2013, was also opened at the request of Washington during the group’s war with the US and the former Afghan government.
Qatar hosted years of peace talks in Afghanistan, which eventually paved the way for the Doha Agreement and the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
These experiences, Sheikh Mohammed argued, demonstrate the need for a neutral platform to engage with actors who “retain real influence on the ground.”
Responding to allegations that Qatari funds intended for humanitarian aid in Gaza had been diverted to Hamas, the prime minister was unequivocal: “All our aid, funding and all our support went to the people in Gaza and it was a very transparent process that the United States knows very well.”
He said Israel itself facilitated the distribution of funds and humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave.
Read also: Gaza talks at critical juncture, no ceasefire without full Israeli withdrawal, Qatar PM says
Sheikh Mohammed criticized political actors who he claimed were distorting Qatar’s role for domestic gain. “Politicians are trying to use this for short-term political gains … to fuel their narratives,” he said.
He stressed that Qatar’s mediation had yielded tangible results, including multiple ceasefires, humanitarian pauses, hostage releases and evacuation arrangements.
This year’s Doha Forum, the 23rd edition, brought together over 5,000 delegates from 162 countries, including presidents, prime ministers, foreign ministers, global policy experts and heads of international organizations.
The event, one of the Middle East’s most influential policy platforms, explored conflict resolution, humanitarian crises, global governance and economic instability.
The Qatari prime minister also spoke about the Israeli strike on Qatari soil in September, calling it a flagrant violation of diplomatic rules and the principles of mediation. “The mediator was bombarded by one of the parties – this was unprecedented,” he said. “It was an unethical move.”
Sheikh Mohammed revealed that US President Donald Trump reacted with surprise and dismay when he learned of Israel’s actions. “President Trump expressed his disappointment, his disappointment, because he knows all about the process and how helpful we’ve been throughout,” he said.
Commenting on the destruction of Gaza after Israel’s two-year military campaign, he reiterated Qatar’s commitment to humanitarian support, but said the burden of reconstruction must fall on those responsible. “We will do everything to ease their pain,” he said. “But we won’t write the check for what others destroyed.”
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He criticized the international community for what he described as a “double standard”, comparing calls for Russia to finance the reconstruction of Ukraine to the reluctance of many countries to hold Israel responsible for the reconstruction of Gaza.
According to UN estimates, 92 percent of Gaza’s residential buildings have been damaged or destroyed, creating up to 60 million tons of rubble. Experts believe rebuilding could take decades.
Sheikh Mohammed said Qatar strongly opposes any attempts to displace Palestinians from Gaza. “They have a choice of where to go and they don’t want to leave their country,” he said. “I don’t see anyone having the right to deport them or force them to go somewhere else.”
He stressed that the Palestinians should not be treated as a people that can be “reformed or relocated” at the ease of regional powers.
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