Qatar and Gaza

Published on May 20, 2010 By Leauki In War on Terror

Qatar proposed to carry out work in Gaza and re-opening of diplomatic relations with Israel in exchange for Israel recognising Qatar's importance as a peace broker in the middle-east:

Israel rejected a Qatari proposal by the Persian Gulf emirate to carry out rehabilitation work in the Gaza Strip in exchange for renewing diplomatic relations with Israel after Egypt made it clear that it would find such a deal "difficult to digest".

According to Egyptian sources, Israel provided Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak with an outline of Qatar's proposal, which would allow it to bring construction materials and other goods into the Strip.

The Qataris would have undertaken reconstruction of infrastructure and earned an Israeli declaration recognizing Qatar's important status in the Middle East. In exchange, the Israeli diplomatic mission the Qataris closed during Operation Cast Lead would reopen

...

Relations between Qatar and Egypt are tense, in part because of the sharp criticism voiced on Al Jazeera of Egypt and its Gaza policy. The TV station is owned by the emirate's ruling family. Qatar has been pursing its own independent foreign policy. It is seen in Egypt as an Iranian ally acting contrary to Arab interests. It is also, however, an American ally.

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/israel-rejected-qatar-s-gaza-offer-following-egyptian-protest-1.291127

Actually, except for Egypt's problems with it (which I totally understand and agree with), this would be a good solution. Qatar should, in fact, be given total control over Gaza if Hamas can somehow be ousted.

(Ironically, Qatar appears to have better relations with Israel than with Egypt.)

Qatar is not worse than Hamas or the PLO and firing back at a Qatar-controlled Gaza doesn't create worse diplomatic problems than firing back at a Hamas-controlled Gaza.

However, Qatar might be willing to hunt down and kill the terrorists in order to make it clear who the boss is. For Qatar Gaza would be a nice base in the Mediterranaean Sea and for Israel a Qatar-run neighbour is better than a PLO-run neighbour.

Heck, "Palestinians" want to be an Arab state, so why not let them become part of a real Arab state with real Arabs from Arabia.

P.S.: Another typical concentration camp problem: impoverished and oppressed people partying all night.

Gaza's Hamas government on Wednesday banned late-night partying in public places so that high-school students can get a bit of peace and quiet as they prepare for their final exams.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100519/lf_afp/mideastgazaeducationsocial

Hat tip (both stories); Israellycool

Comments

Leauki

on May 20, 2010

...

Nitro Cruiser

on May 20, 2010

It seems to me like Qatar likes to stop playing and take its ball home the moment tensions rise. I can't see that as helping matters.

Looks like the night life is in Gaza. They must be spending aid money on poo poo platers.

Dr Guy

on May 21, 2010

Politics makes strange bed fellows. While Qatar likes to portray itself as an enlightened Arab state, there are still vestiges of the fundamentalism running through it as is evidenced by Al Jazeera.

I tend to agree with Nitro. If they are going to run at the first sign of trouble, that will not make the situation better, only worse (embolden the thugs).

Leauki

on May 21, 2010

Politics makes strange bed fellows. While Qatar likes to portray itself as an enlightened Arab state, there are still vestiges of the fundamentalism running through it as is evidenced by Al Jazeera.

Qatar are a Wahabi state. Like Saudi-Arabia, they should hate the Iranian regime. Unlike Saudi-Arabia, they are "moderate" and "more open" and don't. Saudi-Arabia is the better ally against Iran. They know that Iran is an enemy.

However, Qatar is a more honest country than Saudi-Arabia. It is not run by outright thieves and is not nearly as power hungry as the Saudi state. For example, Qatar has never invaded and annexed neighbours. Saudi-Arabia has invaded and annexed the emirate of Ha'il and the kingdom of Hejaz just last century.

Wikipedia calls this the Unification of Saudi-Arabia but I doubt they would call it the "Unification of Israel" if Israel annexed the West-Bank.

(Note that Saudi-Arabia invading and annexing neighbour countries is not illegal per international law, but I don't know why. I think it might fall under the same exception as North-Vietnam annexing South-Vietnam.)

I tend to agree with Nitro. If they are going to run at the first sign of trouble, that will not make the situation better, only worse (embolden the thugs).

It's the first time an Arab country ever worried about the "Palestinians" in any way but just talk. Maybe Qatar really is trying to improve its image in Israel and the west. Remember that Qatar knows that it needs military help if Iran should decide to do something and note that currently it is becoming less obvious that America will procide this help. Israel would and in an emergency Arab states have always accepted Israeli help (as has Iran, ironically). Recall that Israeli planes flew through Saudi-Arabia and refilled there on their way to bomb Iraq's nuclear installation in 1981.

(Of course, that attack was completely against international law which prohibits throwing bombs on military targets like nuclear power plants in a country that has declared war on you, apparently.)

Nitro Cruiser

on May 21, 2010

It's the first time an Arab country ever worried about the "Palestinians" in any way but just talk. Maybe Qatar really is trying to improve its image in Israel and the west.

And that really is the crux of the matter...what is their motivation? There are many other ways Qatar can please the west (and Israel) without nearly as much hassle if that were the case. I'm skeptical. They don't share a boarder and what do they want from the Palestinians? What could the Palestinians possibly do for Qatar? The cost to prestige gained ratio seems a bit high to me. What makes them think they would succeed where others (more capable) have failed? Hey, let them try, but ask the tough questions and don't be surprised when the real motives come into the light.

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