Jassim Ibrahim Fakhro
Since the FIFA president picked the winning country to host the World Cup in 2022, which was bagged by Qatar, the British media and whoever is behind it have not rested out of envy and jealousy. How could an Arab state receive such an honour?
Therefore, it fired the spark of sedition that turned into a flame gutting FIFA and some European countries first through their scandals and disgrace!
What does Britain gain from harming Qatar? Why is it disturbed to that extent? Did Qatar fail it at any time? Didn’t Qatar once save Great Britain from bankruptcy?
The British cabinet and public exchange minister said in an interview with Al-Raya newspaper on February 22, 2015 that Qatari investments in the UK exceed £40bn and the volume of trade exchange is £30bn, making the British Chamber of Commerce open a branch in Qatar.
He adds that the Qatari investment is one of the largest in London. Moreover, the official British foreign spokeswoman told Al-Sharq newspaper on October 29, 2014 that Qatar is the third-largest market for British exports in the Gulf, reaching up to £1.53bn in 2013 with an additional increase of 44pc in 2014.
She adds that Qatar provides Great Britain with 20pc of its natural gas. There are also giant British companies operating in Qatar’s industrial, economic and educational sectors.
“Qatar is one of our closest allies,” she confirmed.
About the 2022 file, she replied that the UK is confident that Qatar will host the World Cup through the support and expertise of British companies.
We do not intend to host this event, because it is dedicated to a non-European country. The UK hopes that it will host the World Cup in the future, but not at the expense of Qatar.
Today, they are demanding... plotting cunningly by supporting us in what they say and fighting us through their media.
Here we are caught between the lowliness of their media and the weakness of our Arab media. The honour of hosting such an event does not only go to Qatar, but to all Arab countries.
Qatar put them back on the map of the most important international events after they have been ignored. It is, however, unfortunate that harm has been insistently coming from some of them, and even Arab media began gloating instead of supporting.
In spite of the presence of Arab media organisations such as the Federation of Gulf press, which has unknown objectives and mission and takes every effort in glorifying its members through meetings, tours and pleasantries to get closer to the decision-makers, we have not benefited from them when our Gulf Arab nation was under fire.
Did their smart ones put a media strategy and build alliances to defend Gulf interests?
The federations of Arab journalists and media staff did not lift a finger so far. Where is the federation of Arab media for women that has many Gulf women?
Does the responsibility fall on Qatar alone to defend itself and when things are taken care of, individuals and nations will gather to show their gratitude and bear the fruits?
I say to Qatari decision-makers, “enough compliments, now take a stand!”
Britain must also be decisive without beating about the bush since it is a beneficiary in
any case. For Qataris, especially, they must have a firm stance by being victorious for the dignity of their country and refrain from travelling to the UK as much as possible, until things become clear.
