Qatar proposes $1bn fund to support Jerusalem

The emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, proposed Tuesday in the opening session of the two-day Arab summit held in Doha a $1 billion fund to support Jerusalem of which Qatar will provide the first $250 million. He considered the Palestinian issue the Arabs’ number one cause and the key to peace and security in the Middle East, stressing that there will be no peace without solving the Palestinian question. He said that Israel must realize that might does not create peace and that its illegal measures and attacks against al-Aqsa Mosque, the settlements and prisoners would only create tension, despair and frustration as well as put obstacles in the way of the peace process. He proposed to hold a mini-Arab summit in Cairo as soon as possible with the participation of Fatah and Hamas with a goal to reach national reconciliation and agree on a date for election in addition to forming a transitional government. He also called for the need to cooperate with and to empower the people of Gaza in the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip destroyed in the Israeli wars against it.