Qatari Newspapers Editorials

 

 

In their Sunday editorials, Qatari newspapers agreed that Islamophobia is growing from the stage of beliefs to public incitement and deliberate provocation, adding that this phenomenon is considered a violation of human rights, which calls for an international rally against racism and hatred of Muslims and finding ways to enact international laws to combat these phenomena effectively and seriously. 

The newspapers praised the efforts of the State of Qatar, through its various initiatives in all regional and international forums, to illustrate that Islamophobia does not only affect Muslims, but also threatens and undermines the values of justice, equality and human rights, adding that Qatar strongly rejects all forms of hate speech based on belief, race or religion, as well as involving sacred things in political disputes, and fully support the values of tolerance, coexistence and the principles of international peace and security through dialogue and building bridges of understanding and respect.

In international affairs, the newspapers said that the approval granted by the so-called Supreme Planning Council of the Civil Administration of the occupation to build thousands of settlement units is considered an official Israeli disregard for the American and international reactions and positions rejecting settlement and Israeli laws and decisions. They demanded international pressure to stop settlement activity and make the Israeli government adhere to the Aqaba and Sharm el-Sheikh understandings.

In its editorial, Al-Sharq newspaper said that only few days have passed since the International Day To Combat Islamophobia, which was devoted to expanding international efforts to create a global dialogue that would strengthen and encourage a culture of tolerance and peace at all levels, before the world witnessed the repeated burning of a copy of the Qur’an again in the Danish capital, Copenhagen.

It pointed out that the heinous incident came in the month of Ramadan to sound alarm bells about the escalation of hate speech all over the world, stressing that celebrating the International Day To Combat Islamophobia should be through practical measures in which the international community assumes its responsibilities to address hate campaigns against Islam and criminalize this discourse, which is witnessing a dangerous escalation, as systematic calls continue to target Muslims and insult their sanctities under the pretext of freedom of expression.

The newspaper stressed that the State of Qatar, through its numerous initiatives in all regional and international forums, is at the forefront of countries combating Islamophobia, because the phenomenon does not only affect Muslims, but also threatens and undermines the values of justice, equality and human rights.

Al-Sharq concluded by affirming that Qatar strongly rejects all forms of hate speech based on belief, race or religion, and the implication of sanctities in political disputes, adding that Qatar fully supports the values of tolerance and coexistence and is keen to establish the principles of international peace and security through dialogue and building bridges of understanding and respect.

In turn, Al-Raya newspaper said that there is no explanation for why some countries continue to allow hateful extremists and racists to burn and desecrate the Qur'an under flimsy excuses such as freedom of expression other than the double standards in these countries and governments towards insulting Islam.

It noted the State of Qatar's condemnation of the Danish authorities for allowing a reckless and racist person to burn a copy of the Qur’an in Copenhagen, stressing that this heinous incident is an act of incitement and a serious provocation to the feelings of more than two billion Muslims in the world, especially in the holy month of Ramadan. 

It said that Qatar warned Denmark and many Western countries, which use double standards towards Islam, that allowing the repetition of the desecration of the Qur’an under the pretext of freedom of expression fuels hatred and violence, threatens the values of peaceful coexistence, and reveals abhorrent double standards. Qatar has explicitly declared its total rejection of all forms of hate speech based on belief, race, or religion, warning that hate campaigns against Islam and the discourse of Islamophobia witnessed a dangerous escalation, the newspaper said, adding that these countries that attack others over the issue of human rights should prevent every hateful extremist and racist from offending more than two billion Muslims around the world.

It explained that the growing phenomenon of Islamophobia and its transition from beliefs to public incitement and deliberate provocation is a violation of human rights, and calls for an international rally against racism and hatred against Muslims, as well as finding ways to enact international laws to combat these phenomena effectively and seriously. The time has come for a pivotal and essential global role in confronting the manifestations of Islamophobia and rejecting terrorism and religious fanaticism.

The newspaper concluded its editorial by stressing that the State of Qatar was always concerned with the unprecedented increase in the spread of Islamophobia in a number of countries recently, and the resulting attacks and harassment against Muslims because of their religion, and in many cases because of their race as well, adding that the whole world must bear responsibility to reject hatred, discrimination, incitement and violence by upholding the principles of dialogue and understanding, and localizing the values of tolerance and coexistence. 

Al-Watan newspaper said in its editorial titled "Endless Lies" that contrary to the claims of Prime Minister of the Israeli entity Benjamin Netanyahu that he will not establish new settlements and in a blatant and deliberate violation of the understandings that took place between the Palestinian and Israeli sides under US auspices, the Israeli occupation government authorized construction bids for more than 1,000 new homes in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem. Al-Watan noted that the approval of the so-called Higher Planning Council of the Israeli Civil Administration to build thousands of settlement units is an official Israeli disregard for the US and international reactions and positions rejecting settlement and Israeli laws and decisions, which would deepen settlement in the State of Palestine. It stressed on the necessity of translating international positions and statements into pressure actions to stop settlement activity, oblige the Israeli government to Aqaba and Sharm el-Sheikh understandings, and put an end to its continued impunity. Al-Watan concluded its editorial by saying that this Israeli disregard for the United States and the international community must stop by transferring this issue to the Security Council in order to implement its resolutions, the most important of which is the establishment of an independent Palestinian state that meets the aspirations of the Palestinian people and puts an end to a conflict that could explode at any moment as a result of the continuous Israeli violations. For its part, The Peninsula newspaper highlighted the launch of the new strategy 2023-2030 of Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) under the leadership of its President HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani with a goal of achieving excellence in all fields related to sports. The newspaper said in its editorial titled "Strategy to reach new heights" that Sports in Qatar have grown in leaps and bounds and the new plan which aims to step up efforts to lift sports in the country is expected to accelerate the progress. Qatar has proved itself as a force in the sports world particularly in the region. The recently-launched strategy targets three key objectives: Ensuring Sport Excellence, boosting Olympic culture & Enhancing sport sustainable development. In effort to make these objectives more applicable, the QOC will keep encouraging all sectors of the society to be at the heart of the Olympic movement, support them to exercise sports and adopt a healthy lifestyle day in, day out, the newspaper noted. The Peninsula concluded its editorial by saying that the QOC will push forward this approach to build up a number of elite Qatari sport teams with purpose of ensuring that Qatar supremacy is made in all sport fields, including training, administration and other technical aspects. The QOC will also keep hosting the major sport tournaments with purpose of enhancing the sport tourism, national economy and improving the investment in the sport legacy that being gained from the major tournaments. (QNA)