The meeting in Egypt today is an important opportunity to find some practical ways to bring Qatar to its senses. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain have taken a lead in formulating the challenge to Qatar’s continued support for terrorist groups and interfering in other countries’ affairs. They have defined 13 clear requirements that will show that Qatar has changed its ways, and can also prove that this change is real and permanent. The four countries, in consort with many others, have severed their diplomatic and trade links with Qatar, to drive home to the obstinate leadership in Doha that things must change. Kuwait has done valiant work in mediating and seeking to find a way forward, which the four have heeded, like when they agreed to a Kuwaiti request to extend the 10-day deadline by two more days.
At the very least, it should be easy for Qatar to start showing good faith by ensuring the departure from its land of representatives of various organisations and groups such as Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood, that are not only totally unacceptable — thanks to their own activities — but are also condemned by the vast majority of the Arab world, as well as the United Nations and the United States and other western powers. For example, the continued residence and liberty of Yousuf Al Qaradawi is a regular reminder that Qatar persists in supporting people who spew their message of hate.
In his home country of Egypt, Al Qaradawi has been sentenced to death for his active support of hatred and terror. So it is ludicrous that Qatar claims it aspires to any form of liberal humanity while Al Qaradawi is allowed to continue his nefarious activities.
The meeting in Cairo has the opportunity to examine how to work with others to get through to the Qataris that this kind of activity needs to stop for the betterment of all. The situation has gone well beyond salvaging Qatar’s pride.
The issues are too serious to be ignored and international action is required. It is important that the UN Security Council has told Qatar to sort out its differences with its Gulf neighbours. It is valuable that many other nations around the world have combined with the three Gulf Cooperation Council members and Egypt to seek an end to Qatar’s support for organisations that back terror. The world now wants Qatar to listen.
