Arab powers sever Qatar ties, citing support for militants

Saudi beef with Qatar may be about gas, not terrorism Published time: 6 Jun, 2017 10:11 Get short URL Saudi beef with Qatar may be about gas, not terrorism LNG tanker © Haryadi Be / Global Look Press 3.5K Saudi Arabia's dispute with Qatar is said to date back to 1995 and stems from the country's success in liquefied natural gas (LNG) production. LNG has given Qatar greater independence from Riyadh and has aligned Doha with Saudi Arabia’s arch-enemy Iran. Read more © Fayez NureldineQataris rush to stock up on food ahead of price hike as only land border shut The LNG revolution made Qatar one of the world's richest nations with an annual per-capita income of $130,000. The country also became the largest exporter of LNG. Qatar’s offshore North Field, which provides all the country’s gas, is shared with Iran. Qatar also hosts US Central Command and bought a $2.7 billion stake in Russia’s oil major Rosneft. “Qatar used to be a kind of Saudi vassal state, but it used the autonomy that its gas wealth created to carve out an independent role for itself,” said Jim Krane, energy research fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute, in Houston, Texas told Bloomberg. “The rest of the region has been looking for an opportunity to clip Qatar’s wings,” he added. On Monday, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen and other countries cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing the country of supporting terrorism. Read more © Faisal Al Nasser Arab states in the Persian Gulf suspend all flights to and from Qatar LNG wealth has allowed Qatar to form foreign policy, independent from the Saudis. Riyadh has accused Doha of backing the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Hamas in the Gaza Strip and armed groups opposed by Abu Dhabi and Riyadh in the Libyan and Syrian wars. Moreover, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries have seen a surge in LNG demand to produce electricity. As Qatar has the lowest extraction costs, the Saudis have to rely on higher-cost LNG imports. “You can question why Qatar has been unwilling to supply its neighboring countries, making them gas poor, There probably was an expectation that Qatar would sell gas to them at a discount price,” Steven Wright, Ph.D. Associate Professor at Qatar University told Bloomberg. Qatar's Foreign minister said on Tuesday Doha was ready for mediation efforts to ease the Gulf rift. Kuwait's ruler Sheikh Sabah Al-Sabah has announced he will travel to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to mediate an end to the feud. Mon Jun 5, 2017 | 1:54 PM EDT 4h ago | 02:21 Arab powers sever Qatar ties Arab powers sever Qatar ties, citing support for... X By Noah Browning | DUBAI The Arab world's biggest powers cut ties with Qatar on Monday over alleged support for Islamists and Iran, reopening a festering wound two weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump's demand for Muslim states to fight terrorism. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain severed diplomatic relations with Qatar in a coordinated move. Yemen, Libya's eastern-based government and the Maldives joined later. Transport links shut down, triggering supply shortages. Qatar, a small peninsular nation of 2.5 million people, denounced the action as predicated on lies about it supporting militants. It has often been accused of being a funding source for Islamists, as has Saudi Arabia. Iran, long at odds with Saudi Arabia and a behind-the-scenes target of the move, blamed Trump's visit last month to Riyadh and called for the sides to overcome their differences. "What is happening is the preliminary result of the sword dance," tweeted Hamid Aboutalebi, deputy chief of staff to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, referring to Trump's joining in a traditional dance with the Saudi king at the meeting. Closing all transport links with Qatar, the three Gulf states gave Qatari visitors and residents two weeks to leave, and Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt banned Qatari planes from landing and forbade them from crossing their air space. The UAE and Saudi Arabia stopped exports of white sugar to Qatar, a potential hit to consumers during the holy month of Ramadan, when demand is high. Some residents in Qatar began stockpiling food and supplies, an expatriate said. "People have stormed into the supermarket hoarding food, especially imported ones ... It's chaos - I've never seen anything like this before," said Eva Tobaji, an expatriate resident in Doha, told Reuters after returning from shopping. Supply difficulties quickly developed. Two Middle East trade sources spoke of thousands of trucks carrying food stuck at the Saudi border, unable make the sole overland frontier crossing into Qatar. About 80 percent of Qatar's food requirements are sourced via bigger Gulf Arab neighbors. Trade sources pointed to the likelihood of shortages growing in Qatar until the crisis eased. Along with Egypt, however, the UAE and Saudi Arabia could be vulnerable to retaliation, being highly dependent on Qatar for liquefied natural gas. The United States called for a resolution of the dispute soon, saying its partnerships with Gulf nations were vital. "All of our partnerships in the Gulf are incredibly important and we count on the parties to find a way to resolve their differences sooner rather than later," a State Department official said. The U.S. military said it had seen no impact to its Gulf-area operations, intended mainly as a bulwark against Iran, and added that it was grateful for Qatar's longstanding support of a U.S. presence and commitment to regional security. ADVERTISEMENT The diplomatic bust-up threatens the international prestige of Qatar, which has a large U.S. military base and is set to host the 2022 soccer World Cup. Soccer's governing body FIFA said on Monday it was in "regular contact" with Qatar's 2022 organizing committee but did not comment directly on the diplomatic situation. The hawkish tone Trump brought in his visit to over 50 Muslim leaders in Riyadh on Tehran and on terrorism is seen as having laid the groundwork for the diplomatic crisis. "You have a shift in the balance of power in the Gulf now because of the new presidency: Trump is strongly opposed to political Islam and Iran," said Jean-Marc Rickli, head of global risk and resilience at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy. "He is totally aligned with Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, who also want no compromise with either Iran or the political Islam promoted by the Muslim Brotherhood." MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD Qatar's backing of Islamists dates to a decision by the current ruling emir's father to end a tradition of automatic deference to Saudi Arabia, the dominant Gulf Arab power, and forge the widest possible array of allies. Doha subsequently cultivated not only Islamists like America's foes Iran, Hamas and the Taliban in pursuit of leverage, but also Washington itself, hosting the largest U.S. air base in the Middle East. Qatar has for years presented itself as a mediator and power broker for the region's many disputes. But Egypt and the Gulf Arab states resent Qatar's support for Islamists, especially the Muslim Brotherhood, which they see as a political enemy. Muslim Brotherhood groups allied to Doha are now mostly on the backfoot in the region, especially after a 2013 military takeover in Egypt ousted the elected Islamist president. The ex-army chief and now president, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, along with Cairo's allies in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, blacklist the Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. The Brotherhood denies this, saying it supports only peaceful politics. Saudi Arabia accused Qatar on Monday of backing militant groups and broadcasting their ideology, an apparent reference to Qatar's influential state-owned satellite channel al Jazeera. Later in the day, the kingdom shut the Saudi bureau of al Jazeera. "(Qatar) embraces multiple terrorist and sectarian groups aimed at disturbing stability in the region, including the Muslim Brotherhood, ISIS (Islamic State) and al-Qaeda," Saudi state news agency SPA said. Al Jazeera says it is an independent news service giving a voice to everyone in the region. Related Coverage VIDEOCountries cut links with Qatar over 'terrorism' VIDEOSpat between Qatar, Gulf Nations won't affect counter-terrorism: U.S. FACT BOX Gulf Arab states, Egypt, sever ties with Qatar U.S. partnerships in Gulf 'incredibly important': U.S. official Global airlines call for open borders after Gulf rift Gulf rift threatens air travel disruption across region and beyond Riyadh also accused Qatar of supporting what it described as Iranian-backed militants in the restive, largely Shi'ite Muslim-populated eastern Saudi region of Qatif, as well as in Bahrain. Qatar was also expelled from the Saudi-led coalition fighting a war in Yemen. The state news agency in Egypt, the Arab world's most populous nation, said Qatari policy "threatens Arab national security and sows the seeds of strife and division within Arab societies according to a deliberate plan aimed at the unity and interests of the Arab nation". Qatar denied it was interfering in the affairs of others. "The campaign of incitement is based on lies that had reached the level of complete fabrications," the Qatari foreign ministry said in a statement. Turkey also called for dialogue to settle the dispute and a government spokesman said President Tayyip Erdogan was working for a diplomatic solution to the rift. FALLOUT A split between Doha and its closest allies could have repercussions around the Middle East, where Gulf states have used their financial and political power to influence events in Libya, Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Yemen. The economic fallout was already hitting home as Abu Dhabi's state-owned Ethihad Airways, Dubai's Emirates Airline and budget carriers Flydubai and Air Arabia said they would suspend all flights to and from Doha indefinitely from Tuesday morning. Qatar Airways said on its official website it had suspended all flights to Saudi Arabia. Many Gulf airports, including in Qatar, are major hubs for international connecting flights. Qatar's stock market index sank 7.3 percent with some of the market's top blue chips hardest hit and some Egyptian banks said they were suspending dealing with Qatari banks. The measures are more severe than during a previous eight-month rift in 2014, when Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE withdrew their ambassadors from Doha, again alleging Qatari support for militant groups. At that time, travel links were maintained and Qataris were not expelled. (Additional reporting by William Maclean, Parisa Hafezi, Omar Fahmy, Mohammed el-Sherif, Sylvia Westall, Tom Finn and Amina Ismail, Yara Bayoumy; Editing by Mark Heinrich) ================ • Reply • Share › Muhammed • 16 hours ago Accusing Qatar of funding Isis is also lies 1 • Reply • Share › Mohammed Alkali • a day ago However do these Arabs realize the fact that their actions against Qatar may push Qatar to become a darling to their arch enemy Iran? With the closure of Saudi Land border to Qatar Iran is already angling to provide the food needs of Qatar further inclining towards Iran. I think the GCC should set aside emotions and then deal with the matter in a more matured manner if not the alternative is fraught with bigger dangers • Reply • Share › − John Kepler Sr. Mohammed Alkali • 21 hours ago The leadership in Qatar has been warned numerous times over the last five years that it was making "poor choices", and that continuing those "poor choices" would have significant consequences. Qatar has persisted in making it's "poor choices"; welcome to the consequences!

Qatar vs SAUDIA relations: US Anti-Iran, Pro-Israel plan divided them

Dr. Madawi Al-Rasheed Twits: KSA guards sacred heritage of Ibn Abd al-Wahhab and will not share him with Qatar. Saudis reclaim the name of their Guru ibn Wahhab as they ask Qatar to change the name of Mosque in Doha. Qatar didn't know that sacred Gurus like Ibn Wahhab are consumed entirely but never shared or appropriated by outsiders. Qatar should change name of ibn Wahab Mosque in Doha. Name only suitable for KSA & ISIS Instituions. Qatar needs Iran to defend its territory against Saudi hegemony. Saudis plan to use US-recruited mercenaries to intimidate Qatar. Supported by USraelis, Pro-Muslim Brotherhood Qatar & Wahhabi Saudis created and sustained ISIS. US Anti-Iran, Pro-Israel plan divided them. Tuesday, May 30, 2017 10:37 AM Qatar deports activist to Saudi, Amensty condemns IncreaseNormalDecrease Saudi Arabian human rights activist al-Otaibi, (Photo: hrw.org) Saudi Arabian human rights activist al-Otaibi, (Photo: hrw.org) Qatar said the deportation took place on May 24 and was based on legal procedures and regional agreements. (Aljazeera/AFP) -- Amnesty International has condemned Qatar’s deportation of Saudi human rights activist to Saudi Arabia. Qatar deported the activist who was on his way to Norway seeking international protection, a watchdog and Norwegian officials said. Qatari authorities confirmed the deportation of Mohammed Abdullah al-Otaibi, 49, but said it had taken place on Wednesday May 24. The official Qatar News Agency (QNA) quoted a foreign ministry source as saying that "the extradition was... based on legal procedures and regional and international agreements relating to the extradition of accused persons and criminals." The Norwegian justice ministry confirmed that a Saudi human rights activist had received a travel permit to Norway as a (UN) quota refugee. The ministry said that al-Otaibi and his wife - who was not deported to Saudi Arabia - were not seeking asylum in Norway but have been processed as United Nations refugees. Mohammed al-Otaibi fled to neighbouring Qatar in March after he faced charges in Saudi Arabia related to his human rights work and was referred to an anti-terrorism court, the [persian] Gulf Center for Human Rights said in a statement. انتقدت الصحف الصادرة في الدوحة، اليوم الثلاثاء، الدول التي تهاجم الأمير القطري تميم بن حمد إذ شدد بعض كتابها على أنه لم يُدل بالتصريحات التي نُسبت إليه، معتبرين أن السعودية والإمارات تنتهجان "أسلوب عصابات" يُعبر عن عصبية قبلية لا تمت إلى الدولة بصلة. ويقول عبد العزيز الخاطر في "الوطن" القطرية، إن "الحملة الإعلامية التي تشنها صحف المملكة العربية السعودية والإمارات العربية المتحدة ضد قطر، في اعتقادي، تضع المنطقة في مرحلة ما قبل الدولة رغم انتماء هذه الدول للمجتمع السياسي منذ أكثر من 50 عاما أو ما يقارب من القرن". ويبدي الكاتب أسفه إزاء ما قال إنه "انحدار مستوى التعامل، من السياسي، إلى ما يشبه الترصد والتجسس، وهو أسلوب أقرب ما يكون إلى أسلوب العصابات، إلى أسلوب ثالث قبلي يُعبر عن عصبية قبلية لا تمت إلى الدولة بصلة". وتشيد ناهد القحطاني في "الراية" القطرية بالأمير تميم، وتنتقد الذين يصرون على إسناد تلك التصريحات إليه، مشيرة إلى أن "هناك من يدير هذه الحملة لضرب اللحمة الخليجية". وتشدد الكاتبة على أنه لو كان الأمير "قد قالها، فإنه لن ينكرها، لأنه لن يقول إلا ما هو مؤمن به، فلا نذكر عبر التاريخ بأن قطر وحكامها قد نقضوا حديثًا بدر منهم، ولا بأنهم قد نقضوا عهدا، ولا بأنهم قد غدروا بأحد غريب كان أم قريب". - See more at: http://www.alalam.ir/news/1975647#sthash.55uh3IYw.dpuf ENGLISH The newspapers in Doha on Tuesday criticized countries attacking Qatari Prince Tamim bin Hamad, stressing that some of his books did not make statements attributed to him, considering that Saudi Arabia and the UAE are pursuing a "gang style" expressing tribal nervousness that has nothing to do with the state. "The media campaign launched by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates against Qatar, I believe, places the region in the pre-state stage, despite the fact that these countries have belonged to the political community for more than 50 years or more," said Abdul-Aziz Al-Khater in Al-Watan. Of the century ". The writer expresses his regret at what he said "the decline in the level of dealing, from the political, to a kind of surveillance and espionage, which is closer to the style of gangs, to a third tribal way expressing tribal nervousness did not belong to the state link. Nahed Al-Qahtani praises Qatar's Emir Al-Raya and criticizes those who insist on endorsing those statements, pointing out that "there are those who are running this campaign to strike the Gulf meat." The author stresses that if the prince had said it, he would not deny it, because he would only say what he believed. It is not to be mentioned throughout history that Qatar and its rulers have recently broken a badr of them, or that they have broken a covenant or that they have betrayed a stranger Close mother ". - See more at: http://www.alalam.ir/news/1975647#sthash.55uh3IYwdpuf Share this translation Family of Saudi Wahhabism Founder Disowns Qatar Emir Amid Tensions Descendants of the founder of Saudi Arabia's Wahhabi ideology have disowned Qatar's ruling family amid heightened tension between the two Persian Gulf neighbors. According to Saudi Arabia's Okaz newspaper, 200 descendants of Ibn Abd al-Wahhab have denied in a statement claims that the 18th-century cleric was the Qatari emir's great grandfather. The statement has not mentioned the Qatari emir by name but has referred to his construction of a mosque named after Ibn Abd al-Wahhab, demanding that Qatar rename the mosque. Qatar's state mosque, opened in 2011, is known as the Sheikh Mohammed ibn Abd al-Wahhab mosque. "We, therefore, demand that the name of the mosque be changed for it does not carry its true Salafi path," the statement added. Wahhabism is the radical ideology dominating Saudi Arabia, freely preached by government-backed clerics there, and inspiring terrorists worldwide. Daesh and other Takfiri terror groups use the ideology to declare people of other faiths as “infidels” and then kill them. The development comes in the wake of escalating tensions between Riyadh and Doha since Qatar’s state-run news agency released comments attributed to Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on sensitive issues last week. The Qatari emir was quoted as describing Iran as an "Islamic power" and "big power in the stabilization of the region." He was also cited as questioning US President Donald Trump's hostility towards Tehran, speaking of “tensions” between Doha and Washington, praising Hamas resistance movement as “the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people," and threatening to withdraw ambassadors from a range of Middle Eastern countries. The Qatari government communications office was quick to claim that hackers had broken into the QNA website and published the fake news. However, the Qatari state television’s nightly newscast had showed clips of the monarch at an official military ceremony with a scrolling ticker at the bottom of the screen showing the same remarks ---------- Tue May 30, 2017 | 2:04 AM EDT Two Saudi policemen hurt in bombing in restive Shi'ite town: SPA Two Saudi policemen hurt in bombing in restive Two policemen were wounded when a bomb exploded in Awamiya in eastern Saudi Arabia, where many of the country's Shi'ite Muslim minority live, state news agency SPA reported on Tuesday. Monday's attack was the second in two weeks targeting security forces deployed to guard workers busy razing the old part of the town, known as al-Musawara, which authorities say has been used by armed fugitives to escape arrest. SPA quoted an interior ministry spokesman as saying that an improvised explosive device went off on Monday morning outside the old quarter of Awamiya, wounding two police officers. They were both taken to a hospital and authorities had begun an investigation, the agency said. ADVERTISEMENT The ministry said on May 16 a soldier was killed and five others were wounded when armed men fired a rocket-propelled grenade at their patrol in Awamiya after authorities began razing the old town. It happened days after a local child and a Pakistani worker were killed. Authorities say a modern district comprising shopping centers, office buildings and green spaces will be built in place of the dilapidated town, which dates back more than 200 years. Awamiya has been a focal point of protests by the Shi'ite minority against what they say is discrimination by the Sunni-ruled kingdom. Saudi Arabia denies discrimination against Shi'ites and accuses Iran of fomenting unrest, a charge Tehran denies. Also In World News North Korea warns of 'bigger gift package' for U.S. after latest test 'Atlanticist' Merkel rams home frustration with Trump after summits Tensions have increased since Nimr al-Nimr, a prominent Shi'ite cleric convicted of inciting violence, was executed a year ago. United Nations cultural experts slammed Riyadh last week over the razing of the town's old quarter, saying the work erased cultural heritage and violated human rights. (Writing by Sami Aboudi; Editing by Paul Tait) ====================== قطريون يستهجنون نزعة القيادة السياسية في قطر وشن هجومها على المملكة والامارات والبحرين ودول عربية اخرى وتقربها وتزلفها لإيران وحزب اللات. Translated from Arabic by Bing Wrong translation? Country deeply resent tendency of political leadership in Qatar and the attack on Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and other Arab countries and seduced by her flattery and for Iran and LAT party. 380 replies 289 retweets 541 likes Reply 380 Retweet 289 Like 541 Direct message ضاحي خلفان تميم Retweeted مشعل النامي‏ @Meshal_Alnami May 26 More قطر لا يحق لها أن تزعل..فهي لم تذق من بعض وسائل الإعلام سوى "يومين" مما ذاقته دول الخليج طوال 21 عام من قناة الجزيرة Translated from Arabic by Bing Wrong translation? Qatar had no right to get mad. It is the poorest of certain media "days" which tried him for 21 years Gulf of Al Jazeera 133 replies 1,533 retweets 793 likes Reply 133 Retweet 1.5K Like 793 Direct message ضاحي خلفان تميم‏ Verified account  @Dhahi_Khalfan May 26 More كن مع الرياض كان الله معك والا خلك مع قاسم سليماني وحزب اللات ونحن مش معك. رسالة الى عزيز Translated from Arabic by Bing Wrong translation? Stay with Riyadh was Allah with you or stay with Qassem Soleimani LAT party we not with you. A letter to Aziz. More قطر جابت كل الحاقدين على دول الخليج وعينتهم في إعلامها... وسمتنا نحن المرتزقة..خبال Translated from Arabic by Bing Wrong translation? Qatar scoured all the haters on the Gulf-rulers in their flags. We burned us mercenaries 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂. No real name given كانت الجزيرة قبل عشر سنوات محطة ذات تأثير على الناس اليوم محطات التواصل الاجتماعي كشفت المستور يا جزيرة الشقاق...فسقط اعلامك في الهاوية Translated from Arabic by Bing Wrong translation? The island was ten years ago people impact station today social networking stations revealed Mr Stevens, island of discord. It fell to notify you the abyss في الوقت الذي ينضم العالم للوقوف مع السعودية في مواجهة ايران تخرج السياسة القطرية لتنضم الى ايران ضد المملكة..اين الحكمة؟ At the time he joins the world to stand with Saudi Arabia against Iran outside the country to join politics Iran against Saudi Arabia. Where is wisdom?

Oil-rich Qatar pushing to make its name as a Mideast peace broker

By Ron Kampeas · May 7, 2013 Photos 1 out of 1 Other Media Secretary of State John Kerry, right, delivering a Joint Statement with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr Al-Thani in Washington, April 29, 2013. (U.S. State Department) WASHINGTON (JTA) -- When it comes to the latest Arab peace initiative, two questions are circulating in Washington: Why Qatar? And why now? The three answers: Because Qatar is rich; it is scared; and why not? Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr Al Thani, the Qatari prime minister and foreign minister, in recent weeks has driven the revivification of the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, moderating it slightly to hew closer to the outlines touted by the Obama administration since 2011. The updated version, outlined by Hamad in remarks to reporters following his meeting April 29 with Secretary of State John Kerry and Vice President Joe Biden in Washington, pulls back from the 2002 demand that Israel withdraw to the 1967 borders in exchange for comprehensive peace. Instead, Hamid proposed “comparable and mutual agreed minor swaps of the land” -- a formulation that opens the door to Israel's retention of several major settlement blocs. Hamad also did not mention the Palestinian “right of return” and the division of Jerusalem, elements of the original Arab initiative that had led to its rejection by the Israeli government. Qatar, the fabulously wealthy Persian Gulf state that is host to the forward headquarters of the U.S. Central Command, hasn't been known until recently for grabbing onto thorny diplomatic challenges. So what does Hamad hope to gain? The Qatari Embassy did not respond to multiple requests for comment, but experts and officials say that Qatar is wealthy enough to do what it likes and, as an autocracy concerned for its survival in a region roiling with revolution, is driven to make friends and demonstrate its usefulness. “For a small country, they’re throwing money around, organizing diplomatic events, trying to shape a range of issues, much of it related to the Middle East uprising,” said Brian Katulis, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, a think tank considered close to the Obama administration. “It's rich, it's small, it lacks the inner turmoil of other countries. It’s one of the [Middle Eastern] countries ... that are more internally stable and have more resources.” Just prior to unveiling the revised peace plan, Hamad, a distant cousin of the Qatari emir, was honored by the Brookings Institution’s Saban Center for Middle East Policy, an organization that received $2.5 million to $5 million from the government of Qatar in 2012, according to Politico. Tamara Cofman Wittes, the Saban Center’s director, said Qatar for years had accrued influence through such uses of “soft power” -- the generous dispensation of money and assistance -- coupled with its ownership of Al Jazeera, the region’s most influential news outlet. When uprisings swept the Middle East at the beginning of 2011, Qatar was able to step into a vacuum left by the toppled dictators, she said. “It vaulted Qatar into a much more prominent role in regional politics because of the loss of [Egyptian President Hosni] Mubarak,” Wittes told JTA. “Its regional assistance and Al Jazeera have allowed it to play a larger role in how the awakening is viewed.” Backing winners, whether the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt or the forces that helped topple Moammar Gadhafi in Libya, also lends credibility -- and insurance -- to a regime that is itself autocratic, Katulis said. “If they win as many as friends as possible, get in early on the ground floor, they'll be all the more influential,” he said. A State Department official played down Qatar's role in reviving the Arab peace bid, noting that the new plan formally emerged from the Arab League. And yet he emphasized that the Obama administration is focused mainly on returning the Israelis and Palestinians to the negotiating table and hopes the peace initiative can help them get there. “It's a sign that the Arab League is a constructive member in the process,” the official said. “The regional partners have a role, but our major focus is getting the Palestinians and Israelis back to the table for direct talks.” So far, that doesn't seem to be happening. Israel is less than thrilled about the new initiative. An Israeli official confirmed that Netanyahu remains as unenthusiastic about the 1967 lines as a basis for negotiations as he was in 2011, when President Obama’s proposal based on those lines precipitated a small crisis in U.S.-Israel relations. Israelis are also skeptical of Qatar because of its support for Hamas, the terrorist group controlling the Gaza Strip. The country’s emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, became the first foreign leader to visit the strip last October. “On the diplomatic front, Qatar publicly claims to support Israeli-Palestinian peace while making certain to undermine it in every possible way,” Seth Mandel wrote last week in Commentary, the neoconservative journal. But Wittes said Qatar’s relationship with Hamas could be seen as a benefit. Hamas is a mainstay of Palestinian politics, and Qatar could help influence the group to moderate. “If obstruction of peace was Hamas’s role as spoiler,” she said, “you have to look at the potential for Qatar as a positive influence.” Need to know? Click here to sign up for JTA's free e-newsletters. ========= QATAR * Qatar cuts April Marine OSP by $4 to $102.50/bbl * Qatar Airways in talks with Airbus to buy up to 15 jets * Dreamliner grounding cost Qatar Airways $200 mln in revenue - CEO ========== Bomb hits convoy carrying Qataris in Somalia, eight dead Sun, May 05 09:49 AM EDT 1 of 2 By Abdi Sheikh and Feisal Omar MOGADISHU (Reuters) - A suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden car into a convoy carrying Qatari officials through the center of Somalia's capital Mogadishu on Sunday, killing at least eight Somalis, officials said. The visiting delegation of Qataris, who were traveling in the Somali interior minister's bullet-proof vehicle, were "safe", a security officer told Reuters, without going into further detail. The minister was not in the car at the time. The Islamist rebel group al Shabaab said it was behind the attack and threatened further strikes against Somalia's government, which it called a "puppet" of Western powers. "More explosions are on the way," al Shabaab's military spokesman Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab told Reuters by telephone. The al Qaeda-linked rebels, who want to impose their version of Islamic law or sharia on the country, have kept up a campaign of guerrilla-style attacks since African peacekeepers pushed them out of bases in the city and other major towns. Western powers, long worried Somalia is a launch pad for militant Islam in east Africa and beyond, fear it could slide back into chaos if security forces cannot cement security gains. The blast tore through the busy 'Kilometre 4' road junction in the center of Mogadishu's commercial and administrative district, hurling metal debris over a wide area. Nearby buildings were blackened and power cables hung loose from poles. It was not clear in the confusion that followed the blast how many people had been killed. A coordinator for Mogadishu's emergency services said ambulances had carried away the 15 bodies. Earlier, the chairman of the city's Hodan district, where the attack took place, told reporters at the blast site eight people had died. "A silver 4x4 sped around the roundabout blaring its horn as it chased the convoy," college student Abdullahi Ismail told Reuters at the scene, nursing a gash in his forehead. "It hit the last car in the convoy." LONDON CONFERENCE Qatar has been forging closer political ties with Somalia in recent years as it seeks to expand its influence in the Horn of Africa region. Sunday's bomb was a stark reminder of two decades of civil strife in a country where the central government depends heavily on a near 18,000-strong African peacekeeping force for its survival. While there has been a significant improvement in the coastal capital since African Union troops drove the Islamist al Shabaab group out of the city in 2011, the attack showed the relative ease with which the militants can still strike. Parts of Mogadishu were in lock-down last week after security officials received a tip-off about an imminent attack, but security was relaxed on Saturday. The 'Kilometre 4' intersection connects the city's fortified airport, where the United Kingdom opened an embassy on April 25, with the presidential palace, parliament and other ministries. The state of Somalia's security forces will top the agenda at conference in London on May 7. Britain and Somalia are hoping to use the event to drum up more international support at a time when al Shabaab are weakened as a fighting force but can still inflict devastating strikes. Civil war after the fall of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991 left Somalia without effective central government and awash with weapons. The turmoil opened the doors for piracy to flourish in the Gulf of Aden and deeper into the Indian Ocean. (Writing by Richard Lough; Editing by Andrew Heavens) =====================

U.S. negotiation efforts with Taliban have failed: group

Sun, Mar 25 17:39 PM EDT
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By Jack Kimball

KABUL (Reuters) - U.S. negotiation efforts with the Taliban have failed and the United Nations should take the lead to optimize the chances of ending almost 11 years of war, a think tank said on Monday.

In a blow to hopes of a negotiated end to the war, the Taliban suspended talks with the United States two weeks ago after the alleged massacre of 17 Afghan civilians by a lone U.S. soldier and the burning of Korans at a NATO base last month.

"U.S. efforts to negotiate with the Taliban to date have failed and risk further destabilizing the country and the region, and as a result we call for the U.N. Secretary General to intervene and appoint a team of negotiators," said Candace Rondeaux, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group (ICG).

In a 51-page report, the think tank said the effect of international support for negotiations had been to increase "incentives for spoilers ... who now recognize that the international community's most urgent priority is to exit Afghanistan with or without a settlement."

Calls for a negotiated settlement have grown over the last few years as NATO-led troops battle a stubborn insurgency and Western forces begin drawing down troop levels ahead of a pullout of most soldiers by the end of 2014.

Western officials believe the Taliban's suspension of talks was tactical and reflected internal tension rather than a definitive halt to discussions.

The string of U.S. setbacks has damaged ties with Kabul at a time when Washington is negotiating a pact to outline its future presence in the Asian country.

"The events of the last couple of months ... all point to a major shift in Afghan perceptions of the U.S. role here. It's going to be very difficult for the United States to both facilitate a solution and also be a party to the solution," Rondeaux, the lead author of the report, said.

"MARKET BAZAAR APPROACH TO NEGOTIATIONS"

U.S. objectives in Afghanistan are far more modest than they were in the months following the September 11 attacks, when the West hoped to replace the Taliban with a stable democracy.

Nearly 11 years after the Taliban government was toppled, the United States and its allies continue to face major problems, including insurgent attacks, a weak government and an uncertain future for Western support.

Doubts are also growing about whether the Taliban leadership is willing to defy possible opposition from junior and more hard-core members who appear to oppose negotiations.

"The Afghan government and its international backers have adopted a market bazaar approach to negotiations. Bargains are being cut with any and all comers, regardless of their political relevance or ability to influence outcomes," the ICG said.

The outgoing UK envoy to Afghanistan, William Patey, said on Sunday, however, that in every peace process there were stops and starts, although he did not believe there had been a "strategic" decision yet by the Taliban to make peace.

The Brussels-based group warned that failure to hash out a better approach to a settlement could mean more conflict, especially in the context of national elections set for 2014 in which President Hamid Karzai is barred from standing again.

"If anything, it will be the election that is the proverbial straw that breaks the camel's back in Afghanistan because this is the last term for Karzai constitutionally," Rondeaux said.

"There is a sense of political vacuum, it's not clear at all who will replace him and that means the competition becomes much more intense. Unfortunately political competition in Afghanistan is never peaceful, it is almost always violent."

(Reporting by Jack Kimball; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani and Andrew Osborn)

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Iran's Ahmadinejad slams US hostile policies on Afghanistan
Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Mon Mar 26, 2012 11:36AM GMT

Incorrect policies of NATO forces and above all those of the United States are the main cause of crises in Afghanistan and similar countries.”

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Iran's President has lambasted US policies on Afghanistan as the source of all troubles in the war-torn country, insisting that the US should change its hostile policies towards nations.


“Incorrect policies of NATO forces and above all those of the United States are the main cause of crises in Afghanistan and similar countries,” said President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in an address to the fifth Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan (RECCA-V) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on Monday.

“NATO member states, particularly the US, should change their hostile policies towards nations and avoid humiliating them by respecting them,” he added.

The Iranian chief executive added that NATO states are prolonging their presence in the region under the pretext of fight against terrorism, emphasizing that their real goal is to encircle the whole strategic region.

President Ahmadinejad stated that the NATO interference has spread insecurity in Afghanistan, Pakistan and the entire region.

He called for the swift withdrawal of the US-led NATO forces from Afghanistan and expressed confidence that it would eradicate narcotics and terrorism in the war-torn country.

“The world needs a new order based on which rights of nations will be observed,” Ahmadinejad pointed out.

The two-day gathering is being attended by presidents of Afghanistan's neighboring countries as well as 40 foreign ministers and representatives of 33 international bodies.

A US delegation, also present at the meeting, walked out of the conference hall as Ahmadinejad made his speech. == Qatari official defects to Venezuela due to Doha policies A Qatari official who has recently defected to Venezuela says Doha funds and arms terrorist groups fighting against the Syrian government in a bid to fuel unrest in the country. A Qatari official who has recently defected to Venezuela says Doha funds and arms terrorist groups fighting against the Syrian government in a bid to fuel unrest in the country. Mon Jul 23, 2012 6:16PM GMT 10 A Qatari official who has recently defected to Venezuela says his country is fully aware that armed groups cannot topple the Syrian government, but it is helping them because Israel has tasked Doha with provoking violence in pro-Palestine countries. The official says Israel has ordered Qatar to incite unrest in Syria, Lebanon and Jordan, which is a part of the US Middle East policy. The unnamed official, who left his country for opposing Doha’s domestic and foreign policies including those on Syria, also said that Qatar has a joint operations center with Israeli intelligence agents, monitoring events unfolding in Syria via Turkey and that Israel's intelligence service, Mossad, can be responsible for a bomb attack in the Syrian capital, which killed at least four military and security officials last week. He also said that the Turkish government has agreed to allow its soil to be used for the transit of terrorists into Syria under US pressure, adding that Turkey hosts the main terrorist groups fighting against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. He also said that Doha is angry at Jordan for preventing the armed groups from infiltrating into Syria. The Qatari official also said that Jordan might also experience unrest in the near future. He also said that Qatari authorities have arrested and jailed several security officials and activists for opposing Doha's anti-Syria stance. The official also said that the Doha government has suppressed several protest rallies and that there have been no reports about protests in Qatar and the police crackdown since the foreign journalists covering them were all arrested and they are still in Qatari jails. ========== PML-N, Taliban think similarly, alleges Kaira DAWN.COM | 11 hours ago Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira. — Photo by AFP/File KARACHI: Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira on Saturday said Malala Yousufzai was symbolic of the school of thought followed by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto, adding that, the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) followed the school of thought of the Taliban, DawnNews reported. Speaking at a press conference in Karachi, Kaira said PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif had also been accused of taking funds from Osama bin Laden. The minister added that in the wake of the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Asghar Khan case, the government elected as a result of the 1990 elections had lost its legal standing. He said both governments headed by Benazir Bhutto were overthrown through bogus mandate. Kaira added that advertising campaigns using fake names had also been run against the PPP. The minister added that Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi was used during the campaign for the creation of the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI) and was later discarded in order to bring in Nawaz Sharif as the prime minister.