A while ago, I was invited to Qatar to attend the first Annual Conference of Strategic and Policy Studies Research Centers in the Arab World, following a phone call from my friend and “rowdy" journalist Abdullah al-Athba. I agreed with him to attend the conference in Doha, but prior engagements prevented me from being there. One night after the conference was held, and after I read the most important topics tackled during that first day sessions, I slept early to go to a morning doctor's appointment at the South London Hospital. Suddenly, I found myself calling Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassem al-Thani. The minister did not pick up, but a phone operator at the palace told me he will be informed of my call. I said I will be waiting and two hours later I was called back. The phone operator said: “Just a moment, Sheikh Hamad wishes to speak with you." The minister's voice sounded tired and exhausted, not as it is usually. He asked: “How are you doing?" I said: “Everything is fine. But I would be better if I can have undiplomatic answers", to which he replied: “Go ahead Jameel. We now have thick skin and are immunized against all questions, criticisms and accusations." I said: “So we agree. You in Qatar claim to be fighting corruption and oppression and to be supporting the Arab revolutions, while there is no democracy in your country. This means you are practicing outside of it the very thing you are prohibiting in it. Did your country not arrest poet Ibn al-Dheeb and sentence him to life in prison over a poem? Does your country not own malls such as Harrods in London and luxurious hotels in European capitals, and is it not an investor in stores like Sainsbury's and foreign real estate property, while your domestic development is still slow? Moreover, Western newspapers accuse you of transporting millions of dollars in bags to deposit them in person accounts in British, Swiss and French banks..." He replied: “Stop this paranoia (as though he said logorrhea), these are fabrications and lies against which we have filed lawsuits in these countries' courts. And why do you not check the facts for yourself instead of repeating this nonsense? We in Qatar say and act, not like others. We are about to witness elections for the Shura Council members and have a political program and a clear vision to widen popular participation. In regard to poet Al-Dheeb, do not make any mistake. The judiciary had its say following court sessions in the presence of his lawyers. He was convicted of instigation and of insulting the prince." I interrupted him: “And are you convinced about this sentence?" To which he replied: “Let me finish. I did not interrupt you when you were asking your questions. In regard to our foreign commercial and real-estate investments, they do not belong to Al-Thani but to all the people of Qatar, in order to have various sources of support and investments that would serve our future generations!" I inquired: “But you have witnessed human rights violations and stripped 5,000 members of the same tribe of their Qatari nationality overnight and without any trial, on charges of participating in an attempt to stage a coup against the Prince of the country." He replied: “The charges were backed up with evidence, and the latter included people with dual nationalities." I said: “I am not convinced but I will move to another question. You have supported the Libyan revolutionaries with weapons and funds, stood alongside the Tunisians during the Jasmine Revolution, backed up the Egyptians pushed – as some claim – the Muslim Brotherhood to power. You also placed billions of Riyals in the Egyptian Central Bank and today, the Egyptian street is turned against you. According to the information, Qatar is the object of growing disgruntlement in Arab states, and the educated elite has started casting accusations and rejecting “the Qatari funds," as long as they will restrain their countries and render the Muslim Brotherhood a Trojan Horse!" I added: “Accusations are also affecting those supporting your policies, describing them as being traders with their countries' dignity. At the same time, an opposition is materializing on the Arab street, warning against your interferences, policies and practices." He laughed out loud then replied mockingly: “You are hallucinating!" He then asked me: “What do you think?" To which I said: “I am asking you and I want to hear your view." He answered: “Today, you are not the Jameel I know because you are making accusations and repeating what you are hearing, without saying the truth which many Arab populations want to hear. Remember that Qatar activated the murky political waters, publically supported Arab populations against their tyrannical rulers and supported Gaza and broke the siege which was imposed on it. You know this truth, along with many others, and it is recognized by the majority. But there are remnants and infiltrators trying to spread rumors, lies and false information, because they cannot confront us. If the latter come near us, we can expose their reality on Al-Jazeera channel." I stated: “It is as though you are threatening them with Al-Jazeera," and he assured: “I am not. But Al-Jazeera channel is influential and it is not just for Qatar. It is for all the Arabs and we will reveal the facts to the people through it, in order to defend our country and our policy." I responded: “But they are saying they have facts against you as well, based on documents and recordings, some of which were leaked and featured conspiracies against Gulf states!" He said: “They are all fabricated. The agreements between the Gulf Cooperation Council states are numerous and the disputes are minor and unrelated to the crucial files. There are natural divergences at the level of the various opinions, but they do not reach the point of the severance of relations because what affects us affects the other member states. We debate issues and argue, but we work together and coordinate our roles." I replied: “This means that the Gulf states are brothers", to which he added: “And Muslims!" Suddenly, the alarm bell went off near my head and I woke up from my dreams and nightmares. I got out of bed and went to the doctor on time. While on my way, I decided to write down the conversation I had with Sheikh Hamad, although it was only a dream, considering that it featured the questions surrounding the Qatari role! [email protected] twitter | @JameelTheyabi
