The visit of Qatari Prince Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani to Gaza Ramallah – Emtyaz al Mograbi Palestinian politicians have criticised the visit of Qatari Prince Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani to Gaza on Tuesday. Some of the politicians believe the visit aims to support and fund political Islam in the region in order to assert its authority and stability.
The Qatari prince held a speech during the reception organised in the Islamic university in Gaza to welcome him and his wife Sheikha Mouzah Bint Nasser.
Member of the Palestinian National Council (PNC) Taysir Nasrallah said the Qatari prince only visited Gaza because of the popularity of the Muslim Brotherhood in post Arab Spring times. Nasrallah added that the Qatari Prince’s speech implied that Qatar led the revolutions in the Arab world.
Fatah member Najat Abu Bakr said that Qatar supported the political Islam trend as it is becoming increasingly popular in the masses.
Najat Abu Bakr also added that Qatar wanted to show the Arab world that they are the only country that can solve the political issues in the region.
The Fatah politician said that the Prince was fooling his audience, pretending to oppose the West while Qatar is welcoming US army bases. It would have been more appropriate to invite all Palestinian political parties if Qatar was really concerned about the crisis in Palestine, the politician added.
Member of the Palestinian National Council, Nabil Amr, explained that the visit raised some fears inside Fatah in the West Bank.
This was caused by the timing and the presence of a representative of the Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi in the delegation accompanying the Qatari prince.
These signs showed the Qatari support of Hamas and the new regime in Egypt, he said.
Nabil Amr urged the Palestinian Authority to contain the situation and avoid any escalation, as he believes there should be direct negotiation.
Taysir Nasrallah said: “There is only one President to the Palestinian people. President Mahmoud Abbas should have received the Qatari prince in Ramallah, and we were hoping that he would accompany President Abbas from Ramallah to Gaza in a step to end the split. But, this visit only increased the total division between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.”