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Qatar Makes ‘Siege’ Claims as its Tries to Counter Diplomatic Crisis | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani gives a press conference in Doha on May 25, 2017. (AFP)


Jeddah – The trips of Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani have not ceased. He has traveled to Russia to western Europe in an attempt to exploit the diplomatic row to create a new maneuver to cover the causes of the dispute and the severing of ties by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates and some other Islamic countries.

Qatar is now in the realm of the so-called resistance axis that some turbulent countries, such as Iran and Syria, and some groups, such as the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas, are a part of.

It is brandishing slogans that contradict what Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the UAE had announced when they cut their ties with Qatar over its support of terrorism.

The media that Qatar backs is trying to create claims under the theme of the “siege” in order to liken the situation in the country to that of the Gaza Strip that is truly besieged by Israel. This is all part of Doha’s attempt to alter several of the facts.

The Qatari FM called for an end to what he called the “siege” against his country, saying that it violates international law. According to the United Nations however, the truth is that countries have the right to sever ties and close their airspace. Sieges are military and legal methods that are adopted in North Korea, for example.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain have taken into account the Saudi-Qatari families that extend from the Qatari people to the people of these three countries. Doha has however exploited the media to turn the crisis into a humanitarian one.

Professor in international relations Abdul Latif al-Salemi told Asharq Al-Awsat that the severing of ties is not much different than the US administration’s demand for Qatar to stop supporting terrorism.

Qatar through its maneuvering is demonstrating that it is incapable of abandoning terrorist factions, he added.

Doha is attempting to turn its crisis into an international one at a time when Arab countries are focusing on terrorism and ways to stop its funding.

Political researcher Aaref al-Masaad said that Qatar is seeking to escalate the situation and it is insisting on continuing its support for terrorism. This stands in contrast to major countries that are seeking to support security and stability in the region.

Qatar has therefore turned to its real allies who share its political creed, such as Turkey and Iran, he told Asharq Al-Awsat.