Qatari Newspapers Editorials

Doha, January 15 (QNA) - Qatari newspapers highlighted in their editorials Sunday the important and central role carried out by the State of Qatar to support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) fulfill its mandate supportive to million of Palestinian refugees. Locally, the Qatari dailies underlined that the State of Qatar continues to consolidate its leading position in the global energy market as the biggest LNG exporter, thanks to its well-studied plans and coordinated strategies which enabled it to meet the demands of global market, while maintaining reducing carbon emissions by adopting the highest environmental standards in oil industry. Highlighting Qatar's continued support for the UNRWA, Al-Sharq said that the State of Qatar has been a major partner of the UNRWA, based on its belief in the pivotal role carried out by the agency in support of millions of Palestinian refugees who rely greatly on the agency to get their basic needs. This long-term partnership between Qatar and UNRWA confirms Qatar's firm policy of solidarity with the brotherly Palestinian people and providing all forms of support to them. The State of Qatar played a central role in supporting the Agency's efforts and meeting its needs throughout the past year, in order to enable it to carry out its duty towards Palestinian refugees, Al-Sharq said. In this context, the paper pointed to the recent announcement by Qatar Fund for Development of providing an emergency contribution to address the Agency's funding shortfall, as supplementary end-of-year funding, aiming at strengthening its pivotal role in protecting the rights of Palestinian refugees at risk and alleviating their urgent and critical needs. Qatar's ongoing support to the basic resources of UNRWA, as well as being the first Arab country to sign a multi-year agreement with the Agency since 2018, reflect its firm policy in solidarity with the brotherly Palestinian people and the keenness to provide all forms of support to them, which go beyond the contributions to the UNRWA to include political and economic support, as well as humanitarian and development assistance, including providing fuel and cash assistance, creating job opportunities, building infrastructure and housing, and supporting the sectors of health, education, industry and agriculture, Al-Sharq said. Meanwhile, Qatari daily Al-Raya underlined that the State of Qatar continues to translate its political commitment into action, as it plays a central role in supporting the UNRWA in order to enable it to carry out its duty towards the Palestinian refugees. The paper noted that Qatar Fund for Development continues to provide its support to the UNRWA in response to the urgent appeal launched by the Agency recently, by announcing an emergency contribution in December to support the Agency's funding shortage and support its pivotal role in protecting the rights of the Palestinian refugees at risk, and alleviating their needs urgently and immediately. Al-Raya called for real funding for UNRWA's programs in order to ensure the flow of the services it provides to millions of refugees in the fields of education, health, food and others. In its editorial, Al-Arab newspaper said that Qatar reaffirmed its continuous endeavor to meet the global demand for energy, and its tireless efforts to deliver energy to every individual in the world. HE Minister of State for Energy Affairs, President and CEO of QatarEnergy Eng. Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi confirmed at the Global Energy Forum, which was held in Abu Dhabi, these goals, the newspaper said, adding that Qatar is making continuous efforts to help meet global demand through producing 77 million tons per annum of LNG which will be increased by another 65 million from new gas production projects. The newspaper stressed that Qatar's goals to meet global demand at reasonable prices come from the reality it imposed on the world arena and markets through the giant projects it is currently implementing, foremost of which is the development of the North Field in its eastern and southern parts, which is considered the largest gas projects in the world. It noted that Qatar did not overlook the production of clean energy in these projects, adding that it seeks to zero the carbon it is producing through the inauguration of the solar power plant in Al Kharsaah, which will have a capacity of 800 megawatts and will supply the national grid with about 10 percent of the local demand. Al-Arab concluded by saying that our country, through Qatar Energy, continues to consolidate its position as a major player in the global energy market, pointing out that during the past two years, the country has strengthened its position in the field of LNG as the largest exporter of gas in the world. In turn, the Gulf Times confirmed that the proposed ethane cracker at Ras Laffan, which is QatarEnergy’s largest investment ever in country’s petrochemical sector, marks an important milestone in its strategy to expand in the field of refining and petrochemicals. In its editorial, the Gulf Times explained that the petrochemical complex will not only facilitate further expansion in Qatar’s downstream and petrochemical sectors, but will also reinforce the country’s integrated position as a major global player in the upstream, LNG and downstream sectors. The Ras Laffan Petrochemicals complex, expected to begin production in 2026, consists of an ethane cracker with a capacity of 2.1mn tonnes of ethylene per year, the newspaper said. It concluded its editorial by emphasizing the unique environmental attributes of this world-scale complex, noting that it will have lower waste and greenhouse gas emissions, when compared with similar global facilities. Al-Watan newspaper expressed its regret over the continued crimes committed by the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people, their land, homes, properties and sanctities, which have led to the martyrdom of 12 citizens, including three children, since the beginning of this year. The occupation practices extrajudicial killings and field executions. Last year, 224 Palestinians were killed by the Israeli occupation forces, including 59 in Jenin, the newspaper said. Al-Watan referred to the confirmation of the Palestinian Foreign Ministry, that the increase in the Israeli crimes against Palestinian people indicated that the current year will even be worse than the previous one. It called on the international community and the US administration to exert pressure on the occupation authorities to stop its bloody escalation against the Palestinian people. It also called on the International Criminal Court to quickly complete its investigations, in order to hold the occupying state and the perpetrators accountable. The Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission stated that the Israeli occupation authorities have issued 5,820 orders since 2015 to demolish and remove Palestinian buildings and facilities in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, which affirms the systematic policy of the occupation to besiege the Palestinians, Al-Watan said. For its part, Qatari English newspaper The Peninsula said that Doha once again is attracting top European football clubs which are returning to the Qatari capital for their winter training camps. Under its editorial " Favorite Stop for Top Clubs", the newspaper said that German giants Bayern Munich concluded their six-day training camp to Doha recently while French champions Paris Saint-Germain will be up next as they will arrive later this week. The trip to Qatar, following the successful organization of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, is a new opportunity to shine the spotlight on the innovative features of the country’s sports facilities, The Peninsula noted. The newspaper concluded its editorial with a highlight on local sporting events, as the Qatari League started after the World Cup was suspended, and equestrian activities take place before the expected tournaments, which include the Amir Sword Festival which will take place next month. (QNA)