HH The Emir stands tall as he refuses to bend to pressure from blockading nations
Ever since the illegal blockade of Qatar started on June 5, Qatar has taken a dignified yet tough stance to not to bend to outside pressures.
HH The Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani repeated the message louder and clearer than ever before during an interview with US broadcaster CBS News’s 60 Minutes programme.
Talking to host Charlie Rose, HH The Emir emphasised that Qatar would not go for a solution at any cost.
“Nothing is going to be above our dignity, our sovereignty. But we want it to end. I always say that. If they (are) going to walk one meter toward me, I‘m willing to walk 10,000 miles towards them,” he said, according to Reuters.
Here are snippets of the interview, where HH The Emir discusses important issues pertaining to the ongoing crisis.
On the blockade coming as a huge shock…
The months-long diplomatic dispute began about two weeks after a late May Arab-Islamic-American summit in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, which was attended by US President Donald Trump and representatives of 55 Arab and Muslim-dominated countries.
Among them Sheikh Tamim as well as leaders of all blockading nations.
“It was a shock,” Sheikh Tamim said, referring to the blockade.
“A few weeks before that, we were meeting, all of us together, in one room, including President Trump. We were discussing terrorism, financing terrorism, and nobody brought any concern from those countries. Nobody told me anything,” he added, according to Al Jazeera.
On being ready for discussions to end the blockade…
HH The Emir said he was willing to attend US-hosted direct talks to put an end to the diplomatic crisis, but added that he has yet to hear a response to Trump's offer to hold a meeting at his retreat in Camp David.
“We want it [the crisis] to end. But nothing is going to be above our dignity, our sovereignty. But we want it to end, I always say that. If they going to walk one metre toward me, I'm willing to walk 10,000 miles towards them.”
On blockading countries looking for regime change…
HH The Emir said the blockading Arab states were looking for a leadership change in Qatar.
“History as well tells us, teaches us, they tried to do that before, in 1996 after my father became the emir. They don't like our independence, the way how we’re thinking, our vision for the region,” he said.
“We want freedom of speech for the people of the region and they’re not happy with that, and so they think that this is a threat to them,” added Sheikh Tamim.
On how blockading countries underestimated Qatari people’s resolve…
“I think they (blockading nations) underestimated the Qatari people. I’m so proud of the people,” he said.
"Qatar after the 5th of June is not like Qatar before. We’re proud of what we were. We’re proud of our history. But after the 5th of June, it’s different. We’re stronger,” he added.
On the determination to keep Al Jazeera on air despite pressure to shut it down…
The ruler reiterated that Qatar would not close down Doha-based Al Jazeera television network, as demanded by the four countries who accuse the broadcaster of bias and interfering in their affairs.
“We’re not going to shut down Al Jazeera. Our sovereignty is a red line. We don't accept anybody interfering our sovereignty. When you tell me to close a channel like Al Jazeera, history will write one day in 50, 60 or 70 years how it changed the whole idea of free speech in the region,” he said.
On his unexpected path to becoming HH The Emir…
Sheikh Tamim said he never expected to become the country’s Emir because he was not in the line of succession. As a teenager, his ambition was to become the Arabic Boris Becker. But all that changed one night when his brother HH Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani asked to see him.
“He said, ‘you, you’re the best choice. And you’re much better than me.’ He said that. I remember. I was shocked. I said, ‘Jassim, what are you talking about?’ (That was the first time I thought) I’ll be the heir apparent,” he said.
You can read the full transcript of the interview here.
Picture courtesy: CBS News
Qatar under the wise leadership of the Emir Sheikh Tamim and the lovely brother Sheikh Jassim and the lovely father Sheikh Hamad and the entire Qatari people and the whole of the expatriate .. can continue forever unaffected under the blockade.
However we all want the crisis to end. It is not about winning the blockade. Saudi, UAE , Bahrain all are brothers . It is ok to have a dispute between brothers for some time but long term is not acceptable as the families have been divided.
Nobody in the word will sacrifice ones dignity. Please note Qatar will become stronger day by day as we will invent new methods for being self sufficient. UAE is having the biggest financial loss in the crisis as there ports are emptied.
A hadith of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم warns us against prolonging disputes with others:
Do not have ill-will towards one another, do not be envious of one another, do not turn your back on one another; O, servants of Allah, be brothers (and sisters). It is not permissible for a Muslim to remain angry with their brother [in religion] for more than three days. (Bukhari)
Allah loves to forgive and loves those who forgive.
Great Leadership! Thank you for sharing this! looking forward to read the whole transcript.