Qatari PM pays price for opposing Turkish existence in Doha
Thursday 30/January/2020 - 05:10 PM
Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdelaziz Al
Hany Suleiman
Qatar’s ruler has appointed a new prime minister, Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdelaziz Al Thani, on Tuesday after Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Al Thani, who was also Qatar’s interior minister, submitted his resignation to the emir after seven years in the position.
A number of reports have been attempting to interpret the sudden move that followed remarks by Bin Nasser that opposed the existence of Turkey in his country, especially that the resignation did not include any reasons.
Sheikh Fahad al-Thani, a member of the Qatari ruling family, has also wondered why Bin Nasser was removed from his position and placed under house arrest, while instead he deserves to be honored, urging Tamim to do what is right towards his people and cousins.
Many believe that Hamad Bin Khalifa is still holding the affairs of the royal palace and the foreign affairs of the tiny emirate, not to mention that he is still running Qatari investment funds as well as the reins of power in Doha.
Some reports indicate that the resignation might be because of Bin Nasser’s supporting stand to a reconciliation with the Arab Anti-Terrorism Quartet, and that maybe Tamim was holding a grudge towards his Prime Minister after Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz received him during his visit to attend the 40th GCC summit in Riyadh.
Moreover, Bin Nasser sought to restore the damaged ties with Qatar’s neighbouring countries by making concessions to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, a move that was opposed by Qatari Emir’s father Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa and former prime minister Hamad bin Jassim.
The Qatari premier visited Saudi Arabia twice in eight months. The first visit was in May for an emergency summit to discuss regional security following an attack on tankers in Gulf waters.
Other reports say Bin Nasser was ousted following his remarks regarding Turkey and its existence in his country.
In the leaked comments, Nasser has said he fears that this country becomes colonized by Turkish forces, which may refuse to leave the land in the future.
The Qatari opposition affirmed that the leak sparked outrage within the Qatari ruling family, which has been protected by Turkish forces in Doha since 2018, and in the end, Tamim made a decision to isolate him so that the Turkish regime would not be angered by its ally and supporter in the region.
Other reports say the reason might be a desire by the Qatari Emir to silence all voices that reject Qatar’s close relations with Iran, especially that the former prime minister opposed the Qatari-Iranian rapprochement.
