QATAR GROK Daily News – Excerpts from International Media Reports
[Links to full articles were active on the date posted here]
Qatar Minister Joins Protest Rally Against Israel [Jun 6]
“Qatar’s minister of culture, arts and heritage was among hundreds of citizens and residents who staged a rally to protest against Israel for its deadly raid on Gaza-bound ships carrying humanitarian aid. Hamad Bin Abdul Aziz Al Kuwari, in an emotional speech, praised the activists on the ships, saying that the largest international organisations had not been able to do what they did. ”Efforts to break the Israeli siege must continue,” the minister said, quoted by Qatari daily The Peninsula. Speakers at the rally said that the murder of nine aid workers in the Israeli raid had taken place in international waters..” [Complete Report]
Qatar Court to Hear Cases of 97 Detained Bahraini Fishermen [Jun 6]
“A Qatari court on Monday will decide the fate of 97 Bahrain-based fishermen in Doha’s custody for allegedly entering the country’s waters illegally. According to Bahraini human rights activists, 31 Bahrainis and 66 Asians will be tried by a court in Rayyan, in the western part of Doha, amid hopes that the Qatari authorities would allow them to go home after paying fines. One of the detainees, Adel Al Taweel, has been held for one month now after he was shot for failing to heed warning shots by Qatar’s coastguards to leave Qatari waters. The 37-year-old Bahraini was treated at a local hospital, but the authorities did not release him despite the arrival of a medical team and a human rights delegation from Bahrain to repatriate him. Ahmad Khalil, the father of three fishermen held in Qatar, said that he was looking forward to being reunited with them..” [Complete Report]
Qatar to Bear the Cost of Taking Israel to ICJ [Jun 6]
“Putting its weight behind the decision of fellow Arab states to take Israel to the ICJ for its botched aid fleet raid that killed nine activists, Qatar has said it would meet all the expenses to be incurred on the legal proceedings. Qatar has also said it would fund a worldwide media campaign to expose Israel, its blockade of the Gaza Strip and the aggression it has been perpetrating in the territory, a report in ‘The Peninsula Daily’ said. According to the report, Secretary-General of the Arab League Amr Moussa said that Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani, has assured the League of the country’s moral and financial support on the above issues. At Qatar’s behest the foreign ministers of Arab League member countries met in Cairo on Wednesday and Thursday to discuss the Israeli raid and its Gaza blockade. “We heartily appreciate Qatar’s commitment to meeting the expenses of taking Israel to court for the crime (the flotilla attack) and launching a global media campaign to expose the Israeli blockade of and aggression in Gaza,” Moussa was quoted as saying by the paper..” [Complete Report]
