The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, arrived in Ankara on Friday for a working visit, according to a statement issued by the Amiri Diwan of Qatar. The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Emir jointly appealed for greater international efforts to stop the Middle East conflict from escalating.
The joint appeal came as the Emir, whose country has been a key mediator between Israel and Hamas, made a brief visit to Ankara to discuss the crisis after last week’s killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Hamas and Iran have blamed Israel.
“President Erdogan said Israel is trying to increase tension in the region with its attacks on Palestinian territory and on Lebanon, and that the international community had to take effective measures to end the Israeli aggression, which has intensified in recent days,” said a statement released by Erdogan’s office.
A separate Qatari statement said that the Emir’s meeting with Erdogan is part of efforts to enhance strategic relations and strengthen bilateral cooperation, as well as to coordinate joint efforts regarding regional developments and growing challenges.
In a post on X, the Qatari leader added that the meeting is also part of “our efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region and find a solution to end the war on Gaza.”
Until October 7, when Hamas launched its attack on Israel, Hamas’ former leader, Ismail Haniyeh, divided his time between Qatar and Turkey.
Erdogan’s statement added that with the killing of Haniyeh, “Israel has once again demonstrated it has no intention of obtaining a ceasefire.”
Relations between the two countries have developed in the past two decades, since the ruling Justice and Development Party in Turkey took over the country’s administration, in the economic, commercial, political, military, cultural, and tourism fields.
The relations, which officially began in 1979 with the opening of embassies in both Doha and Ankara, have been strong and solid since their inception at all levels, and their strength was increased by the establishment of the “Joint Supreme Strategic Committee between Qatar and Turkey in 2014,” which holds its meetings every year at the highest level.
