QATARI LEADERSHIP SEEKS TO SHOW ACTIVISM ON GAZA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DOHA 000003

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM KWBG KPAL QA
SUBJECT: QATARI LEADERSHIP SEEKS TO SHOW ACTIVISM ON GAZA

REF: 2008 DOHA 888

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(U) KEY POINTS
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-- An estimated 15,000 people gathered at a local stadium
January 1 to show their solidarity with the Palestinians of
Gaza. Participants were encouraged to contribute money for
humanitarian assistance to Qatar Charity, one of the event's
sponsors.

-- A delegation of the International Union of Muslim Scholars
(IUMS) headed by prominent cleric (and Al Jazeera star)
Yousef Al-Qaradawi left Qatar on an Amiri plane to meet with
leaders of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Syria and Jordan and
rally support for ending the hostilities in Gaza.

-- Citing the need for Qatar's Prime Minister/Foreign
Minister to travel to New York for UN discussions on Gaza,
the government postponed by a week the January 5 Arab and
African foreign ministers' meeting that was scheduled as part
of Qatar's mediation of the crisis in Darfur, a high-profile
foreign policy undertaking.

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(SBU) COMMENT
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-- The Amir's plan to convene an emergency Arab League Summit
in Doha January 2 (reftel) having been thwarted by other
members of the Arab League, the Amir continues to convey that
Qatar is one Arab country that wants action on Gaza.

-- While the stadium event may have been designed to let the
local population blow off steam in a controlled environment,
local media noted that the rally's participants -- and local
cell phone subscribers who received text messages encouraging
contributions to Gaza -- are donating money for humanitarian
relief.

-- The Amir's support for Qaradawi and his international
delegation further shows that the Qatari leadership wants to
appear in the forefront on righting the situation in Gaza.

-- Finally, by publicly postponing the Arab League/African
Union Ministerial on Darfur and linking the postponement to
UN Security Council debates in New York on Gaza the week of
January 5, the leadership is making clear that Gaza comes
first.

End Key Points and Comment.

SUPPORT FOR THE PALESTINIANS AT HOME...
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1. (U) Many of the estimated 15,000 people who attended the
January 1 rally at the Qatar Sports Club stadium to show
their solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza carried
placards saying, "Stop Killing Our Children." Children and
adults waved Palestinian and Qatari flags. The Doha Youth
Center, Qatar Charity, Qatar Student Network, and the Qatar
Sports Club sponsored the event.


2. (U) Participants at the rally were encouraged to donate
money to the Qatar Charity for humanitarian assistance to
Gaza. The local cell phone provider, Q-Tel, sent all its
subscribers text messages announcing the event. Some
messages included the bank account information where
residents unable to attend the rally could make donations for
Gaza.

...AND ABROAD
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3. (U) Following a January 3 meeting with the Amir, a
delegation of the IUMS headed by prominent Al Jazeera imam
Yousef Al-Qaradawi departed Qatar on one of the Amir's planes
for meetings with leaders of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt,
Syria, and Jordan. According to Qaradawi, the delegation
would urge leaders of these countries to sever their ties
with Israel and ask for "emergency summits of the Arab League
and Muslim countries so that they can have a united stand on
the Zionist aggression." (Note: Qatar's Amir sought to host
an emergency Arab League Summit in Doha on January 2, but
other Arab League members did not agree.)


4. (U) Qaradawi reported that another primary objective of
the visit was to lift the "blockade" imposed on Gaza since
Hamas took control of the territory. Asked by a journalist

DOHA 00000003 002 OF 002


why the delegation was not visiting prominent Muslim
countries to the east of Qatar (such as Pakistan, Bangladesh
and Indonesia),Qaradawi said the delegation is focusing on
countries "which are more influential."


5. (U) The delegation includes former Sudanese president
Abdul Rahman Siwar Al-Zahab; former grand mufti of Egypt Nasr
Farid Wasel; head of the Indonesian advisory council Noor
Waheed Hedayat; former Jordanian minister of education Isaac
Al-Farhan; and Islamic intellectuals Isam Al-Bashir of Sudan,
Salman Al-Ouda and Abdullah Nasif of Saudi Arabia, Abdul
Wahab Al-Dilami of Yemen, Ahmend Al-Raisouni of Morocco, and
Ali Al-Qurradaghi of Qatar.


6. (U) Qaradawi added that the issue of closing the Israeli
trade office in Doha was not raised in the meeting with the
Amir, because the delegation does not "see the office
affecting the pro-Palestinian policy of Qatar. If we saw
such impact we would raise it, but Qatar is known for its
strong ... stance on the Palestinian issue."

SUPPORTING THE PALESTINIANS TRUMPS DARFUR
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7. (SBU) Citing the need for Qatar's Prime Minister (and
Foreign Minister) Hamad Bin Jassim Al Thani to travel to New
York for UN discussions on Gaza, the GOQ postponed a January
4 meeting with foreign ministers of some Arab League and
African Union countries to discuss next steps on Darfur.
Qatar's mediation of the Darfur crisis has been a prominent
fixture of its foreign policy for many weeks. Arab League
Chief Amr Moussa and joint African Union-United Nations
mediator for Darfur Djibril Bassole were to have attended the
meetings.

LeBaron