A Qatari envoy overseeing the Gulf state's humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip said on Monday that he has proposed building an airport in the Palestinian coastal enclave but received no response from Israel.
In coordination with Israel and the United Nations, Qatar has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to various Gaza projects that it says are designed to stave off humanitarian crises and prevent escalations in violence.
"They [Israel] said it would be discussed and they procrastinated. … We will renew our request," Qatari Ambassador Mohammed Al-Emadi told the Gaza-based Sawa news agency.
"The Israeli side had security concerns and we told them we can resolve them by having the planes fly to Doha and return to Gaza from there and under Qatari security supervision," Emadi said.
Instead, he said, Israel counter-offered an airport in areas under its control, Emadi said his country will review the Israeli proposal.
COGAT, the Israeli defense body responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs, declined comment.
Qatar often serves as a mediator between Israel and Hamas. The energy-rich Gulf state also has overseen large reconstruction projects in the war-battered territory.
