Qatar dismisses WSJ’s ‘irresponsible’ claims over ‘blocking’ Palestinian president’s invitation to Riyadh’s Arab summit
The Gulf state’s media office noted that the “loosely sourced information” were not verified by any of the parties involved.
Qatar has dismissed The Wall Street Journal’s (WSJ) “irresponsible” and “baseless” report alleging it had “blocked” Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s invitation to Riyadh’s latest Arab Summit.
“Claims published by The Wall Street Journal about Qatar, including allegations that it opposed the invitation of Palestinian Authority President[…]supposedly on the grounds that Hamas should also be in attendance are baseless and wholly irresponsible,” Qatar’s International Media Office (IMO) said in a statement on Saturday.
The WSJ’s report on Friday headlined “Why Arab Leaders Are Struggling to Agree on Hamas’s Future Role in Gaza” claimed to lay out the region’s different views over the besieged enclave’s post-war governance.
The article cited anonymous current and former Arab officials who claimed that Qatar had “blocked” Abbas’s invitation to the Arab Summit, held in Riyadh last month, while reportedly “arguing Hamas should be invited too”.
Qatar’s IMO noted in its statement that the “loosely sourced information” was not verified by any of the parties involved while reaffirming its unwavering support for the Palestinian Authority.
“The fact is that Qatar has been one of the main donors to the Palestinian Authority for many years and has worked closely with them on a range of issues and initiatives, including both past and ongoing efforts,” the IMO stressed.
The statement pointed out that such “subpar reporting is not surprising” given that the article’s authors had previously leveled other accusations against Qatar.
Social media users have pointed out one of the article’s authors, Summer Said, having a history of dishonesty and misreporting.
“It is not the first time the article’s authors have leveled potentially consequential accusations while neglecting to follow proper journalistic procedures,” the IMO noted. “Such reports are inconsistent with the professionalism we have been accustomed to from The Wall Street Journal and other journalists at the publication,” it said.
Qatar has been on the receiving end of disinformation after assuming its central mediation role between Hamas and Israel since the beginning of the genocide in the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023.
The campaign, mainly driven by Israeli and Western officials, criticised Qatar for hosting the Hamas political office despite its crucial role in mediating the release of Israeli captives.
The Gulf state has hosted the Hamas office since 2012 at the United States’ request.
Qatar had also attempted to mediate between Fatah and Hamas in October 2006 and brokered the Doha Agreement between both sides in 2012.
Gaza truce deal
Mediators Qatar, Egypt and the United States had mediated a fragile ceasefire between Hamas and Israel on January 15 following more than a year of stalled negotiations.
The deal came after Israel reduced the Gaza Strip to rubble, killing more than 61,709, with thousands trapped under the rubble.
The deal is split into three phases, each lasting 42 days, with the aim of eventually leading to a complete ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas has completed the first phase by handing over 33 Israeli captives—eight of which were killed by Israel’s relentless bombardment of the Strip—in addition to five Thai workers over nine separate handovers.
Israel has also released 1,755 Palestinian prisoners, including women and children, from its jails following several delays.
The first phase ended on Saturday with Arab leaders due to meet in Cairo on Tuesday to discuss the Gaza Strip’s future.
Source: Asmahan Qarjouli