After gaining its independence from Britain, Qatar has never fully found a firm political, economic or cultural footing in Gulf society. Everyone is familiar with this fact, especially the Qatari leaders who have been playing with the affairs of the country since they toppled grandfather Khalifa 22 years ago. Today, Qatar is a dangerous emirate that supports terrorists and offers shelter to fugitives from other countries. It went to such an extent that its cronies even tried to assassinate late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz. And now, Qatar is calling for internationalizing the pilgrimage in Makkah and Madinah. Despite the all-time low in Saudi-Iranian political relations, pilgrims from Iran are able to visit the holy places to perform the pilgrimage and avail of all the facilities. They can move freely between Makkah and Madinah. And the Kingdom's security forces ensure that their attempts to disrupt the pilgrimage are foiled. The question arises as to whether Qatar is truly interested in the welfare of Qatari pilgrims who may be staying with their relatives in Makkah, Riyadh or any Saudi city. More than three million pilgrims of various nationalities perform the pilgrimage during the Haj season. This is more than the population of Qatar. These pilgrims never face any obstacles and perform their rituals in peace. Qatar has no true say in the running of the country. This is evident from the several foreign military bases in the country. So it is clearly Iran firing on Qatar's shoulder to make the internationalization call. In return, Qatar gets protection from Iran. By remaining obstinate, Qatar is only prolonging the crisis. Qatar should first distance itself from the forces that support terror and instead protect the interests of its people. It should keep the welfare of its people foremost in its mind, rather than heed to Iranian demands. Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, finds its influence and sovereignty through the support of its people and not terror groups. This is a far cry from the situation in Qatar, where the manipulative regime mingles religion and politics to create new forms of crisis. Doha considers it normal to shelter political leaders who hide behind religion for their own survival. The leader of the Muslim Brotherhood is a case in point. Saudi Arabia's role in serving pilgrims is known to all. Only vested interests question this reality. Qatar would do well in taking back its words and concentrate on the wellbeing of its people, rather than pamper to the whims of a few individuals and groups.
