Qatari Newspapers Editorials

Doha, December 01 (QNA) - In their Thursday editorials, Qatari newspapers highlighted various topics ranging from Wednesday's cabinet session which reviewed a number of topics most prominently, a draft law for issuing child’s rights law, which comes from the State's interest in childhood to highlighting the Association of Secretaries General of Arab Parliaments' affirmation and solidarity with the State of Qatar, supporting what was issued by the Shura Council in its last session in response to the European Parliament's recent inaccurate resolution regarding human rights in the State of Qatar within the framework of the country's hosting of the World Cup. The newspapers appreciated the State of Qatar's successful organization of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, an exceptional and unprecedented event in the Middle East. The country has proven its worthiness of hosting this global sporting event, and the past few days proved that the tournament enjoys the highest levels of security, safety, and professional organization, away from stadium riots and crowd bickering, deserving the title of the safest tournament in World Cup history. On the Arab issue, the newspapers denounced the ongoing escalation campaign launched by the Israeli occupation forces against the Palestinians, targeting and killing in cold blood, storming villages and towns in the West Bank and Jerusalem, house raids, arrests, and repression. In its editorial, Al-Arab newspaper noted Wednesday's cabinet session, which reviewed a number of issues and took appropriate decisions in their regard, including a draft law for issuing child’s rights law. The preparation of a new draft child's rights law constitutes a legal framework for monitoring the results of child development. With this new legislation, the State of Qatar fulfills all its obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and all international agreements and protocols concerned with human rights. The law regulates the means to protect, strengthen their existence and bonds, and preserve motherhood, childhood, and old age. The constitution also affirmed that the state takes care and protects young people from the causes of corruption, exploitation, and physical, mental, and spiritual neglect, providing them with appropriate conditions to develop their talents in various fields through education, the paper said. The keenness of the Qatari constitution is reflected in all the laws enforced in the country, guaranteeing children and women have the necessary legal protection. Among these laws are the Penal Code, which stipulates many crimes that are considered assaults against both children and women, the Code of Criminal Procedure, and the Juvenile Code, which guarantees procedural protection for both women and children in the investigation and trial stages, the paper added. The Qatari Penal Code provides criminal protection for children from forms of violence or physical abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment, or exploitation. The penalty is severe, particularly, in all cases where the offender is related to the child’s ancestry or is a caretaker, the paper noted. In conclusion, Al-Arab praised the social affairs sector at the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour, and Social Affairs for providing great services to families and children, including the social security, housing, and family affairs departments, and associations and institutions of public interest. For its part, Al-Watan newspaper highlighted the Association of Secretary General of Arab Parliaments' affirmation that it stands by the State of Qatar and supports what was issued by the Shura Council in its last session in response to the inaccuracies contained in the European Parliament's recent resolution regarding human rights in the State of Qatar within the framework of the country's hosting of the World Cup and its rejection of it, stressing that allegations of human rights violations are based on false and misleading foundations and are not based on real facts. The European Parliament's resolution on Qatar does not only stem from prior positions but completely disregards human rights, women's rights, and the rights of everyone living in Qatar. It is merely a continuation of the malicious and systematic campaigns directed against the State of Qatar to question and undermine its right to host the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, the paper said. The whole world has praised what Qatar has done, and highly valued the establishment of fan zones in more than 40 locations distributed in a number of countries to enable football fans to watch the championship matches on giant screens and participate in sports, entertainment, and awareness activities, which has not been done before, conveying the message that sport is for everyone. This provides a positive motivation for all ages, in addition to providing an atmosphere of joy, happiness, and social cohesion, the paper continued. In conclusion, Al-Watan expressed its regret that all of this was not a matter of interest or follow-up by those who stood behind the European Parliament's biased resolution, which is ignorant of all facts. Meanwhile, Al-Raya newspaper said in its editorial that the State of Qatar succeeded 100 percent in organizing an exceptional and unprecedented World Cup in the Middle East region, as there were no security concerns or accidents. The newspaper praised the professionalism enjoyed by the State of Qatar, a country of security, safety and peace, in dealing with crowds, as everyone enjoys the enthusiastic atmosphere of the tournament, and this proves the correctness of the Qatari vision by taking many measures that are in the interest of the fans, enhancing their security and providing them with free services to facilitate their movement and enjoy the splendor of football inside and outside the stadiums. The paper stressed that Qatar has proven that it is worthy of hosting this global sporting event, noting that the past few days have demonstrated that the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is organized with the highest levels of security, safety and professionalism away from stadium riots, and became the safest in the history of the World Cup. In conclusion, Al-Raya said that Qatar dazzled the whole world with this unprecedented organization, which came to affirm that Qatar is the capital of world sports and a platform of love and peace. English-language newspaper, The Peninsula, underlined that the State of Qatar continues to amaze the world with an extraordinary FIFA World Cup with hundreds of thousands of fans enjoying exciting events and festivals across Qatar. Under the title "Efficient transportation", the paper said that a key feature of the country's successful tournament plans has been its robust transportation network, as Doha Metro and Mowasalat's bus network have linked all major population districts and commercial venues to airports, stadiums and fan zones with elaborate plans. It is a testament to the host country's successful planning that Doha Metro and bus network have ensured smooth operations despite the ridership increasing many folds, it added. The Metro lines form the main artery of the transport system during the World Cup, as five of the eight World Cup stadiums are directly connected to the Metro stations, while the rest are connected through a range of transport services, including shuttle bus service, the paper said. The paper pointed out that over 3,000 Mowasalat buses are also ferrying around 300,000 passengers daily. During first six days of the tournament, Karwa buses transported approximately 940,513 passengers. The Peninsula concluded by saying that the transportation infrastructure in Qatar has seen a great development over the past years to ensure efficiency of mobility during the World Cup, adding that the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy and other government agencies have worked to find integrated transportation solutions during the World Cup, including the Doha Metro network, highways, electric buses, and the light tram network connected to the Metro, in line with the objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030, which aims to reduce dependence on traditional fuel and use sustainable energy sources. On the Arab arena, Al-Sharq newspaper condemned in its editorial the ongoing escalation campaign launched by the Israeli occupation forces against the Palestinians, including attacks, killings, raids, arrests and repression. The newspaper referred to what happened on Tuesday and Wednesday, when six Palestinians were martyred, who were killed in cold blood by the occupation forces, pointing out that the systematic Israeli violence escalates every day, amid blatant international inaction and double standards. The paper denounced this failure towards the Israeli occupation's aggressions and crimes and its unilateral and illegal measures, which encouraged the Israeli entity and its successive governments to commit more crimes against the Palestinian people and to continue implementing expansion plans and projects. Al-Sharq concluded that these ongoing crimes against the Palestinian people, and with the absence of any sign for a political process or international action to curb the occupation and provide protection for the Palestinian people, open the doors to dangerous scenarios that threaten security and stability, not only in the Palestinian territories, but in the region and the world. (QNA)