The Federal Republic of Somalia has vehemently condemned Israeli Tuesday military strike in Qatar, asserting that the attack was a “deliberate strategy” aimed at undermining Gaza ceasefire negotiations and constituted a “flagrant violation” of Qatari sovereignty and international law.
Speaking before the United Nations Security Council on Thursday, Somalia’s Ambassador to the UN and Permanent Representative, Abukar Osman, said the timing of the attack was a clear indication of its intent.
“This military strike unfolded when negotiators engaged in talks over the US backed ceasefire proposal,” Osman stated. “It was aimed at undermining the ongoing mediation efforts.”
Ambassador Osman labeled the attack a “brazen act of aggression” that directly contravenes the principles of the United Nations.
Territorial integrity
“Such actions are in direct defiance of the core principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter, notably Article 2 paragraph 4, which prohibits the threat or use of force against any state’s territorial integrity or political independence,” he said.
Osman accused Israel of a calculated expansion of hostilities across the region. “Israel’s systematic expansion of the conflict zone from Gaza to Lebanon, to Iran, Syria, Yemen, and now Qatar is a deliberate strategy,” Osman declared, pointing to the attack on a residential area housing embassies and schools as evidence of a “blatant disregard for human life.”
Expressing profound support for Doha, the Ambassador affirmed Somalia’s position.
“Somalia stands in solidarity with the sisterly state of Qatar and supports its right to take all necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty and security,” he stated, extending his nation’s “deepest condolences to the government and people of Qatar for the loss of lives.”
Osman praised Qatar’s diplomatic role, stressing that its efforts should be protected, not targeted.
Mediator role
“Qatar’s role as mediator in seeking to end this conflict has been invaluable and deserves recognition, not retaliation,” he argued. “Attacking those who are actively working to bring peace...undermines the very goals we all share.”
In a direct appeal to the chamber, Ambassador Osman urged the Security Council to act decisively. He warned that to “remain silent or inactive in the face of this brazen violation, will be to reduce international law to a mere suggestion subject to the will of the aggressors.”
Ambassador Abukar Osman’s condemnation at the UN was echoed in the capital, Mogadishu where Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre and his Council of Ministers denounced Israel’s attack in equally strong terms.
In a formal communiqué, the Cabinet declared Somalia’s unwavering solidarity with Qatar and its categorical rejection of “any form of aggression and violations that go against all international laws and conventions.”
