Qatar's emir says country has shown resilience in face of 'exceptional events'

The emir of Qatar has set out the priorities for the year ahead in a speech made against the backdrop of war, attacks on its territory and disruption to its energy exports. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani says Iran has directly targeted Qatar. Qatar was subjected to an attack on its territory from Iran in a blatant aggression, in violation of its sovereignty, of international law and good neighboring policies. But he says self-defense does not mean abandoning diplomacy. These unfortunate events have confirmed once again that the security of the region and the world are interconnected. To destabilize any place will be felt across the world. This also reflects the importance of strengthening cooperation between the GCC and the rest of the world. The emir called for stronger cooperation between Gulf states and international partners to secure shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. and protect critical infrastructure including energy and water facilities. Qatar supplies around 20% of global liquid natural gas. The closure of the waterway combined with damage to gas facilities in Iranian attacks in March has impacted exports. The emir says Qatar must now protect its economy while pressing ahead with long-term plans. Expanding gas production, investing overseas and developing sectors beyond hydrocarbons such as hospitality, real estate, and solar energy, all remain on the agenda. But the pressure on public finances is mounting. Government revenue fell 42% in the first half of this year, and the emir says fiscal discipline and efficiency is needed going forward. On foreign policy, he reiterated Qatar's support for the Palestinians, calling for accountability for Israel's genocide in Gaza. He also urged political solutions to conflicts in Sudan, Libya, Yemen, and Somalia. The Amir's message was clear. Qatar has to defend itself, protect an economy under pressure, and continue to help prevent this war from spreading. But on one point, he left little room for any doubt. Qatar will not abandon diplomacy. He says that defending the country's sovereignty and pursuing a peaceful path to resolving this conflict are things that must continue to go hand in hand. Zain Basravi, Al Jazeera, Doha. Rashid Al-Mohanadi is the vice president of the Center for International Policy Research. He spoke to Al-Jazeera earlier. He says that Qatar has a history of turning crises into opportunities. Al Jazeera fleshed out three priorities during the war. One is the defense of the country. And we saw the Qatar armed forces performing exceptionally well with interception rates reaching 95 to 98 percent. I was here in the studio when we used to have the alarm sound off and we would continue our interview because we had trust in our defensive capabilities and neutralizing the threat. The other priority is making sure that services and day-to-day life would continue, and they have continued even at the most darkest of days in the war. Third is keeping a door open for diplomacy. And I link one and three together, because if Qatar couldn't have defended itself the way it did, it wouldn't have been one of the main diplomatic enablers in this conflict later on. One of the most important characteristics of any mediator is tenacity. So continuing following through potential openings, opportunities and off-ramps is imperative for a diplomatic process. in the end the mediator can facilitate the two belligerents have to come together we live in interesting times as the Chinese saying goes but I think both doors are open one door is we are prioritizing our defense and security which His Highness made very clear another door is that we are open for a new regional framework which would include different actors through diplomatic means But I think these decisions are made elsewhere now.