"We don't, won't and didn't support the Muslim Brotherhood," Qatar FM tells Arab News

Updated 17 May 2017
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"We don't, won't and didn't support the Muslim Brotherhood," Qatar FM tells Arab News

DOHA: Qatar does not support the Muslim Brotherhood and sees no place for Bashar Assad in the future of Syria, the Gulf nation’s top diplomat told Arab News in an exclusive interview.
Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani also said negotiations between the Gulf states and Iran are key to establishing “positive” ties amid heightened tensions.
The Qatari minister, speaking on the sidelines of the recently concluded Doha Forum, said a “clear strategy” on the Syrian conflict is a must.
“We have seen how (ousted President) Ali Abdullah Saleh in Yemen... allied himself with Gulf enemies who supported him in order to return to power,” Al-Thani said.
“Similarly in Iraq, we saw how (former Prime Minister Nuri) Al-Maliki exited after his sectarian actions, but still remains in Iraq and is equipped and present in some organs of the state. Likewise for Bashar Assad. If he remains president with no power as some propose, or remains an isolated and immune president, this means we will enter into the same tunnel and repeat the same experience, meaning we have not learned from our previous mistakes.
“I add to this the crimes of Assad against his people with no accountability, which means we have opened the door for any leader to carry out such crimes in order to solidify his rule and energy with a political settlement and immunity that protects him from accountability.”
As for what the proposed solution is, Al-Thani said it must also encompass the ongoing issue of terrorism and extremism “so as not to repeat the Libyan experience after the departure of (Muammar) Qaddafi.”
“We must have a clear strategy to solve the Syrian crisis in full. When we talk about a transition stage that ensures sustainability for Syria, we must look at all these sides,” he said.
“The presence of arms is a critical issue that must be resolved before encouraging and guiding Syria to a democratic process and political competition.”
Positive ties with Iran?
The Doha Forum discussed the issue of Iranian relations, which was significant given the differences between Doha and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states vis-a-vis Tehran.
Arab News asked Qatar’s top diplomat how he sees the situation.
Al-Thani said: “Since the Iranian escalation and the attack on the Saudi Embassy and its burning in Tehran, Qatar has condemned this attack and has withdrawn its ambassador back from Tehran to Doha, where he still remains and is not carrying out his role. Diplomatic relations between Qatar and Iran are no longer the same.”
Al-Thani stressed that Doha does not enter into direct dialogue with Iran without the GCC. “But we are among the Gulf Cooperation Council and have responded positively to Iran’s call for dialogue.”
“As for Qatar’s position and its vision on its relations with Iran, we believe that we must have a positive relationship with Iran and a relationship based on good neighborliness and non-interference in the affairs of others.”
“In Qatar, we have a shared gas field between us and Iran, and one day we will have to deal with it, so how will we do so? This must be in accordance with positive frameworks built and placed by us Gulf countries.”
As for the criticism over the Iranian nuclear deal and the opening of Western relations with Iran, Al-Thani criticized the absence of the Gulf countries in negotiations, over a matter that concerns “our security first.”
As for lifting sanctions, the Qatari foreign minister believes this raises many question marks and that the GCC presence during the negotiations would have answered those questions. Ultimately, he believes the differences with Iran can only be resolved through the negotiation table, which is why he supports the idea of talks between the GCC as a bloc and Tehran.
“In the end, what do we want from Iran? I do not think there are any countries in the Gulf that do not want to have good relations with Iran, but the question remains how to reach to such relations. We do not believe it will be through confrontation,” he said.

Muslim Brotherhood: Terrorist or not?
One of the most disputed issues between Qatar and many other GCC countries is Doha’s alleged support for Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, which Saudi Arabia, the UAE and other countries label as a terrorist organization. So how does Al-Thani explain the different position held by Doha, which does not classify the group as such?
“The question is whether the data or information that led these GCC countries to classify the organization as such is the same information available to Qatar? No it is not, and thus we have not placed the Brotherhood on the terrorist list because we have not obtained proof that the Muslim Brotherhood present in the state of Qatar are planning terrorist activities against Qatar,” he said.
However, does this mean Doha supports the Muslim Brotherhood? And what interests does Qatar have in backing a group that has been outlawed by some of Doha’s major allies?
“We do not, will not, and have not supported the Muslim Brotherhood, but rather we support any individual that assumes the presidency in Egypt in a clear and transparent manner,” he said.
To illustrate what he means, particularly given the widely held belief that Doha does indeed support the Muslim Brotherhood, Al-Thani gave two examples from his country’s foreign policy with Egypt and Tunisia.
“In Egypt, when the Muslim Brotherhood assumed power, some linked this to Qatar’s support, even though nearly 70 percent of the assistance program provided by Qatar was during the era of (former Egyptian Prime Minister) Essam Sharaf, during the period of the military council, while of the remaining 30 percent, a portion was during time of the Muslim Brotherhood and a portion during the time of (Abdel Fattah) El-Sisi,” he said.
Essam Sharaf was the prime minister of Egypt from March 3, 2011 to Dec. 7, 2011, having been appointed premier following the toppling of Hosni Mubarak.
“With regard to the gas shipments that were agreed upon, three of which were agreed during the era of El-Sisi, add to that Qatari deposits in Egypt. They were not withdrawn, even though we have the right to withdraw them. This all indicates we do not support a specific period of government,” he said.
“Tunis, on the other hand, is currently led by President (Beji Caid) Essebsi, who is among the opponents of the ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood in the Tunisian parliament. Despite this, the Tunisian people elected him and the state of Qatar directed its support to the Tunisian people and believes that Tunisia deserves the support of GCC countries.”
Asked why then has Doha embraced members of the Muslim Brotherhood who fled to Qatar, which has received them despite being wanted in their own countries, Al-Thani said: “The presence of these individuals is as political oppositions, and we have such individuals from several countries, not only Egypt. We do not permit them in Qatar to carry out any political activities or take Qatar as a platform to abuse or attack their own countries.”
In what some observers might assume as a reference to the Palestinian group Hamas — although it must be made clear that the Qatari foreign minister did not mention them by name — Al-Thani said that “there has been a group that tried to carry out political activities in Doha and we informed them that Qatar can no longer host them.”
Asked about the controversial Egyptian-born Muslim Brotherhood scholar Yusuf Qaradawi, who continues to reside in Doha, Al-Thani said: “He is a Qatari citizen who carries the Qatari nationality, and an elderly individual, and thus we cannot inform him to depart Qatar. The Qatari constitution does not allow for the submission of any Qatari citizen to foreign judiciary, be it in an Arab or non-Arab country.”
Finally, asked about the belief held by some that Qatar is not in agreement with fellow GCC states on a number of issues, Al-Thani said: “The GCC organization or system does not require us to have a unified policy on all issues, but when it comes to collective Gulf security, there is consensus as this is common ground and Qatar will not deviate, particularly if the matter concerns the collective security of the GCC states or imminent danger.
“With the issue of Yemen for example, as this is a matter that affects our common security, Qatar’s forces have been on the ground supporting the coalition led by Saudi Arabia since the beginning of the crisis. In Syria, we Qataris have also stood with Saudi Arabia since the beginning of the crisis and our position remains consistent, as is the case in Iraq as Iraq affects the security of all of us as GCC countries,” he added.


Israel wants India’s Adani Group to continue investments after US bribery allegations

Updated 11 min 30 sec ago
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Israel wants India’s Adani Group to continue investments after US bribery allegations

  • Adani Group holds a 70 percent stake in Haifa port in northern Israel and is involved in multiple other projects with firms in the country
  • US last week accused Adani Group of being part of scheme to pay bribes of $265 million to secure contracts, misleading US investors 

HYDERABAD, India: Israel wants India’s Adani Group to continue to invest in the country, Israel’s envoy to India said on Thursday, affirming the nation’s support for the ports-to-media conglomerate whose billionaire founder is facing bribery allegations in the United States.

“We wish Adani and all Indian companies continue to invest in Israel,” Ambassador Reuven Azar said in an interview with Reuters, adding that allegations by US authorities were “not something that’s problematic” from Israel’s point of view.

The Adani Group holds a 70% stake in Haifa port in northern Israel and is involved in multiple other projects with firms in the country, including to produce military drones and plans for the manufacture of commercial semiconductors.

US authorities last week accused Gautam Adani, his nephew, and Adani Green’s managing director of being part of a scheme to pay bribes of $265 million to secure Indian power supply contracts and misleading US investors during fund raising efforts there.

Adani Group has denied all the accusations, calling them “baseless.”

Still, shares and bonds of Adani companies were hammered last week and some partners began to review joint projects.

“I am sure Adani Group will resolve its problems,” Azar said on the sidelines of an event in the southern city of Hyderabad.


Lebanon to hold parliament session on Jan. 9 to elect president

Updated 18 min 6 sec ago
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Lebanon to hold parliament session on Jan. 9 to elect president

  • State news agency: ‘Speaker Nabih Berri called a parliament session to elect a president of the republic on January 9’

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s parliament will hold a session in January to elect a new president, official media reported on Thursday, a day after an Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire began and following more than two years of presidential vacuum.
“Speaker Nabih Berri called a parliament session to elect a president of the republic on January 9,” the official National News Agency reported.


Israeli tank fires at 3 south Lebanese towns

Updated 48 min 58 sec ago
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Israeli tank fires at 3 south Lebanese towns

  • Lebanese security sources and state media report tank fire struck Markaba, Wazzani and Kfarchouba

BEIRUT: Israeli tank fire hit three towns along Lebanon’s southeast border with Israel on Thursday, Lebanese security sources and state media said, a day after a ceasefire barring “offensive military operations” came into force.

Tank fire struck Markaba, Wazzani and Kfarchouba, all of which lie within two kilometers of the Blue Line demarcating the border between Lebanon and Israel. One of the security sources said two people were wounded in Markaba.

A ceasefire between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah took effect on Wednesday under a deal brokered by the US and France, intended to allow people in both countries to start returning to homes in border areas shattered by 14 months of fighting.

But managing the returns have been complicated. Israeli troops remain stationed within Lebanese territory in towns along the border, and on Thursday morning the Israeli military urged residents of towns along the border strip not to return yet for their own safety.

The three towns hit on Thursday morning lie within that strip.

There was no immediate comment on the tank rounds from Hezbollah or Israel, who had been fighting for over a year in parallel with the Gaza war.

The agreement, a rare diplomatic feat in a region racked by conflict, ended the deadliest confrontation between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group in years. But Israel is still fighting its other arch foe, the Palestinian militant group Hamas, in the Gaza Strip.

Under the ceasefire terms, Israeli forces can take up to 60 days to withdraw from southern Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had instructed the military not to allow residents back to villages near the border.

Lebanon’s speaker of parliament Nabih Berri, the top interlocutor for Lebanon in negotiating the deal, had said on Wednesday that residents could return home.


Syria war monitor says more than 130 dead in army-militant clashes in north

Updated 28 November 2024
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Syria war monitor says more than 130 dead in army-militant clashes in north

  • Clashes followed “an operation launched by Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham,” the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said
  • The air forces of both Syria and its ally Russia struck the attacking militants

BEIRUT: A monitor of Syria’s war said on Thursday that more than 130 combatants had been killed in clashes between the army and militant groups in the country’s north, as the government also reported fierce fighting.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the toll in the clashes which began a day earlier after the militants launched an attack “has risen to 132, including 65 fighters” from Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, 18 from allied factions “and 49 members of the regime forces.”


Palestinian leader Abbas lays ground for succession

Updated 28 November 2024
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Palestinian leader Abbas lays ground for succession

  • Abbas, 89, still rules despite his term as head of the Palestinian Authority ending in 2009, and has resisted pressure to appoint a successor or a vice president

RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories: Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Wednesday announced who would replace him in an interim period when the post becomes vacant, effectively removing the Islamist movement Hamas from any involvement in a future transition.
Abbas, 89, still rules despite his term as head of the Palestinian Authority ending in 2009, and has resisted pressure to appoint a successor or a vice president.
Under current Palestinian law, the speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) takes over the Palestinian Authority in the event of a power vacuum.
But the PLC, where Hamas had a majority, no longer exists since Abbas officially dissolved it in 2018 after more than a decade of tensions between his secular party, Fatah, and Hamas, which ousted the Palestinian Authority from power in the Gaza Strip in 2007.
In a decree, Abbas said the Palestinian National Council chairman, Rawhi Fattuh, would be his temporary replacement should the position should become vacant.
“If the position of the president of the national authority becomes vacant in the absence of the legislative council, the Palestinian National Council president shall assume the duties... temporarily,” it said.
The decree added that following the transition period, elections must be held within 90 days. This deadline can be extended in the event of a “force majeure,” it said.
The PNC is the parliament of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which has over 700 members from the Palestinian territories and abroad.
Hamas, which does not belong to the PLO, has no representation on the council. The PNC deputies are not elected, but appointed.
The decree refers to the “delicate stage in the history of the homeland and the Palestinian cause” as war rages in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, after the latter’s unprecedented attack on southern Israel in October last year.
There are also persistent divisions between Hamas and Fatah.
The decree comes on the same day that a ceasefire entered into force in Lebanon after an agreement between Israel and Hamas’s ally, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
The Palestinian Authority appears weaker than ever, unable to pay its civil servants and threatened by Israeli far-right ministers’ calls to annex all or part of the occupied West Bank, an ambition increasingly less hidden by the government of Benjamin Netanyahu.