Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

CLARIFICATION | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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In August 2006 we published two articles, which referred to information from sources to the effect that Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabr Al-Thani, Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, had held discussions with the Israeli government in Israel on his way to the Arab Foreign Ministers’ Conference in Beirut.

Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim has denied through his solicitors that he attended any such talks with Israel and has drawn our attention to a supporting denial issued by an Israeli government source to Israeli journalists at the time indicating that he had flown over Israeli skies but denying that a visit had occurred. We were unaware of the Israeli government’s denial when our articles were published and are happy to draw it to the attention of our readers. On 23 October 2007, the Acting Prime Minister of Israel has also denied that any such meeting took place.