In December, Qatar’s Emir Shaikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani said he has a “duty” to support the Muslim Brotherhood without explaining why. Whatever his reasoning, surely one of his first duties should be towards Qatar’s fellow Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states with which his country has tribal, economic and security ties — crucial at this moment in time when the entire Arab world is experiencing unprecedented turmoil.
Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain consider the Brotherhood a threat to national and regional stability and have made several unsuccessful attempts to bring Qatar on side. Instead, Doha has aligned itself with Turkey, whose Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has hosted several Muslim Brotherhood conferences and is a vehement critic of Egypt’s interim government. Qatar is the only Gulf state that has shown hostility towards Egypt’s transition, resulting in Cairo returning billions of dollars in Qatari aid and withdrawing its ambassador. Qatar has become a safe haven for Brotherhood members who have fled Egypt, according to an article in the Washington Post headlined ‘Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood finds havens abroad’. “Several of the exiles live temporarily in hotel suites paid for by Qatar’s state-run Arabic satellite network Al Jazeera…” it reads. Doha has ignored Egypt’s requests to extradite Muslim Brotherhood figures, exacerbating tensions between the two countries.
While Muslim Brotherhood strategists plot their next moves in Doha, their fiery religious mentor Yousuf Al Qaradawi — an Egyptian national also being sheltered by Qatar — has been given free rein to stir up dissent in Egypt and shower Saudi Arabia and the UAE with verbal attacks. During a televised sermon he slandered the UAE as being against Islamic rule. His spokesman later told the media that Al Qaradawi would not stop expressing his views, adding, “Qatar allows him to say what he wants as an individual and that no one had called him over his remarks.”
‘Strategic ties’
It’s worth noting that this divisive figure wanted by Egypt is barred from entering the US, the UK and France. Last month the UAE’s foreign ministry summoned the Qatari ambassador to register its outrage over Al Qaradawi’s insults. Qatar’s Foreign Minister Khalid Bin Mohammad Al Attiyah responded, saying Al Qaradawi’s remarks do not reflect Qatar’s foreign policy, adding ties with the UAE are “strategic in all respects”. For a while it looked like the rift had been papered over.
Then last Wednesday, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain withdrew their ambassadors from Doha in concert. A statement announced that Qatar had failed to implement a security agreement signed on November 23 by the Gulf states not to interfere in each others’ internal affairs either directly or indirectly — and not to support any activity that would threaten the security and stability of any GCC country by organisations or individuals, including support for hostile media. Qatar expressed surprise and regret. It has characterised the move as “a big mistake” but says it won’t bow to pressure to change its foreign policy.
Former Qatari ambassador to the UN and the US Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa told Al Jazeera that Egypt was at the heart of the dispute, which he says has nothing to do with the security of the GCC. “Unfortunately, those three countries, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain, want to keep the Arab world in a hole; they want them to stay weak countries controlled by dictators…” He went on to accuse the trio of trying to impose their philosophy of “it’s either my way or the highway”.
Attempting to infiltrate
The former ambassador is wrong on all counts. The Muslim Brotherhood not only threatens Egypt but also the Gulf states which it has been attempting to infiltrate in order to create Muslim Brotherhood cells under different names.
Last year, the UAE convicted 69 individuals charged with being members of or having links to the banned Al Islah Society that is affiliated to Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood and plotting to overthrow the government. The Brotherhood has no loyalty to any country and while it pretends to be ‘moderate’ it directs violent activities via its militant offshoots. The day that Doha withdraws its embrace, it too will become one of its targets. It’s not inconceivable that the Brotherhood in Qatar is quietly radicalising young Qataris. A Qatari doctor was sentenced to seven years by a UAE court just days ago for supporting a banned Islamist group linked to the Muslim Brotherhood.
Secondly, alienating the most populated Arab country, which has the largest army capable of becoming a shield for Saudi and Gulf states, is unwise. The sole reason why the Egyptian authorities have had to put in place authoritarian measures is the Muslim Brotherhood’s violent followers, who are out to disrupt the economy’s forward march and the country’s political roadmap.
For now the idea of Gulf states forming an integrated economy, a customs union and a joint military command is on hold. It is hoped that Qatar will re-arrange its priorities in line with brotherly states before the chill in relations escalates to a freeze. The choice is simple: a) Continue to cuddle Brotherhood exiles, allow Al Qaradawi’s offensive rants and Al Jazeera’s spewing of pro-Muslim Brotherhood propaganda or b) Pursue Gulf-wide security, stability and brotherliness. It’s a decision that should not pose a quandary for Qatar. The $64 million question here is – Why on earth does it?
Linda S. Heard is a specialist writer on Middle East affairs. She can be contacted at lheard@gulfnews.com
