Emir of Qatar: The causes of the Arab Spring are still present, and reforms are necessary so that it does not recur

The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, considered that the reasons for the Arab Spring revolutions still exist today, calling for the implementation of radical and gradual reforms to avoid a recurrence of these events.

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said on Wednesday that the causes behind the "Arab Spring" protests still exist and have exacerbated, calling for gradual reforms to avoid unrest.

This came in an interview with the French magazine "Le Point" published on Wednesday and reported by the Qatari Emiri Diwan, which dealt with many files, including the Muslim Brotherhood, Israel, Iran, Afghanistan and the energy crisis.

The magazine asked the Emir of Qatar whether he was concerned about the possibility of a recurrence of events similar to the events of the Arab Spring in 2011, when popular protests toppled regimes in Arab countries.

He replied: "Unfortunately, the deep roots that caused the Arab Spring are still present, such as poverty, unemployment, and unemployed graduates."

He wondered, "Have we found solutions to these problems? No, they have only aggravated. If we do not find solutions, the events that led to these causes in the first place will repeat themselves."

He expressed his belief that "the best way to avoid future turmoil is to implement reforms gradually."

He continued, "We must give our people real hope, not just words, secure jobs and opportunities, and allow young people to express their opinions and differences."

"Muslim brothers"

In response to a question about the relationship in which Qatar is criticized with the Muslim Brotherhood, Al Thani said that "this relationship does not exist, and there are no active members of the Muslim Brotherhood or any groups related to it on Qatari soil."

And he added: "We are an open country, and a large number of people with different opinions and ideas pass through it, but we are a country and not a party, and we deal with countries and their legitimate governments, not with political organizations."

Syrian file

On the possibility of reconnecting with Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, Sheikh Tamim said: "Every country has the right to establish relations with any country it chooses. But the Arab League decided to exclude Syria for a good reason, and this reason still exists and has not changed."

In 2011, the League decided to freeze Syria’s seat following the regime’s military suppression of popular protests against it, which demanded a peaceful transfer of power.

Sheikh Tamim expressed his readiness "to participate in any talks if we have a peace process about the future of Syria and the demands of its people, but this is not the case at this moment."

He asked: "Why do we accept that a leader commits massacres against his people and expels millions of refugees from his country?"

And he added, "We have to act seriously and put an end to the problem in Syria, and the same applies to Libya. If we are not careful, we will face dire consequences."

Relations with Israel

On the normalization of relations with Israel by Arab countries, Sheikh Tamim said that "every country has the right to establish relations with any other country."

But he wondered: "What is normalization with Israel? I am speaking seriously. Are the conditions normal in Israel? No, there are still occupied Arab lands and refugees who have not been able to return to their homes for more than 70 years, Muslims and Christians living under siege in the Gaza Strip."

He added, "When the Oslo Agreement was signed (in 1993 between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization), we all believed that peace would be achieved, and we established official relations with Israel, as we opened an Israeli trade office here in Doha, but the wars did not stop in the Gaza Strip."

And Abizaid: "We must reach a peaceful settlement for the Palestinian people, and give them hope and return to them their land."

He added, "We talk with the Israelis, and we provide aid to the residents of Gaza and the West Bank. I believe in the two-state solution (Palestinian and Israeli), as the Palestinians and Israelis must live side by side, but unfortunately we are far from it."

Since April 2014, negotiations between the Palestinian and Israeli sides have been suspended due to Tel Aviv's refusal to stop settlements and release former prisoners, in addition to its repudiation of the principle of the two-state solution.

Gulf track

Regarding the blockade that Qatar has been subjected to since 2017, its emir said: "I do not want to talk about the past, but rather we want to look to the future. We are going through a new phase in which things are moving in the right direction."

On June 5, 2021, a reconciliation agreement was signed in the Saudi city of Al-Ula that ended a dispute that broke out in the summer of 2017 between Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt on one side and Qatar on the other.

Sheikh Tamim continued, "We realize that views may differ at times, and we are preparing for the future with the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, which is essential to unlocking the potential of youth in the region."

And he added: "Our unity and cooperation are important to the whole world, and the Gulf Cooperation Council is going through a stage of recovery after a great shock and turmoil, but today we are on the right track."

Gas export to Europe

Regarding the energy and gas file, Sheikh Tamim said: "We mainly export energy to Asian countries and to European countries as well, based on long-term agreements in addition to immediate agreements."

He added, "We want to help European countries and will supply them with natural gas in the coming years, but those who think that we can replace Russian gas are mistaken, because it is an important source for the global market."

Since last February 24, Russia has launched a military attack in its neighbor Ukraine, which has damaged the energy and food sectors worldwide and prompted many capitals, led by Washington, to impose economic and financial sanctions on Moscow.

Regarding the European sanctions imposed on Russia, Sheikh Tamim said: "We must deal with caution with the sanctions that complicate matters for the whole world (...) We all see the problems caused by the lack of energy supplies in the European continent today."

"The most important thing is that we are all suffering from the current situation, both on the energy level and on the nutritional level, and that is why the war in Ukraine must end," he added.

world Cup

Regarding his country's hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Sheikh Tamim said that "Qatar is the first Arab country to organize this global event, and it is a very important event for young people, especially in the Arab world."

"We will welcome hundreds of thousands of fans, and we welcome everyone, whoever they are, regardless of their origin or culture," he added.

He continued, "We want visitors to learn about the differences between cultures and discover the culture of our country, and we hope that this will prompt them to visit us again."

Qatar will host the twenty-second edition of the tournament from November 20 to December 18.