Dr. Khalid Mubarak Al Shafi, Editor-in-Chief of The Peninsula.
The denial by officials of the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia of the Washington Post’s revelation that the UAE is involved in the hacking of Qatar News Agency again reflects the lies of siege countries.
“We all know the position of The Washington Post in the media industry. It is among the strongest and most credible newspapers in the world. If this news is not true then why intelligence official does not deny it,” said Dr. Khalid Mubarak Al Shafi, Editor-in-Chief of The Peninsula while talking on a Qatar TV talk show “The Truth” last night.
The Washington Post published the story of Watergate scandal, and was a major political scandal that occurred in the United States in the 1970s.
“It can’t report lies. We know that the beginning of the crisis was the hacking of QNA and through this the siege countries insulted Qatar and the Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. However, now after investigations the scandal appeared against UAE, they have started saying that this was not the problem and are now levelling new allegations,” said Al Shafi.
He said that Anwar Gargash, UAE State Minister for Foreign Affairs, has not denied responsibility in it.
Replying to a question about Bahrain’s Foreign Minister’s statement in which he described Qatar an enemy, Dr. Al Shafi said: “Actually the siege countries have crossed all red lines and the Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Al Khalifa’s tweet is just part of the game because Bahrain’ stand is complementary to the UAE position otherwise Bahrain does not have any independent position.”
Al Shafi also added: “Bahrain’s minister has said many things even without caring his own country’s interests. He also abuses his country and his government.”
He said that the siege counties had paid money to people in many countries to make them ally against Qatar but they refused like Algeria as an example. “They used what they had at their disposal to distort the reputation of Qatar but failed miserably.”
“There are many officials from these counties who are also abusing Kuwait and its leadership and their acts are childish acts,” he added.
He said that a number of international reports had accused the UAE of detaining more than 200 prisoners and no one knew about them “but we don’t want to mention such things”.
Responding to another question, he said that the Middle East had become the notorious for fabricated news after the siege counties denied what the Washington Post had published.
“Let us say the Washington Post is showing solidarity with Qatar then what about The Independent, UK’s newspaper which proved Gargash wrong when he denied the report in which the UAE ambassador to Russia had stated that the siege countries will ask companies to choose between them or Qatar,” he added.
For his side, Jaber bin Nasser Al Marri, Managing Editor of Al Arab Newspaper said that the siege countries’ denial of what The Washington Post had reported has two parts; first they were denying that the QNA was hacked, and now when it is proved they say the UAE is not responsible.
“The US Intelligence Agency did not rebut what The Washington post has published which means it is true. My analysis is that the US wanted to send slap to the UAE because it is the country which talks on behalf of siege countries,” said Al Marri.
About what Bahrain’s Foreign Minister had said, Al Marri said: “I don’t know who allowed him to talk because he is just follower of other siege countries.”
He also added that Qatar is very clear in its position not like these countries which say something in western countries and say something different in their countries.
“We were hoping to solve our disputes in GCC countries but now the issue may land at the International Court of Justice as H E Dr Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah has said in an interview with TRT World suggesting that Qatar may approach ICJ asking compensation due to damages of blockade,” Al Marri added.
