FM slams European double standards in dealings with Qatar

*Germany applies different standards in its approach to Qatari energy, World Cup *Is football an exclusive sport for certain people or a certain region, asks FM *In new anti-Qatar campaign, French newspaper Le Canard Enchaîné publishes caricature depicting Qatar’s national football team members as terrorists

Germany applies different standards when it comes to its stance on Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup and its approach to Qatari energy, HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al- Thani has told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (Faz) newspaper.“We are annoyed by the double standards. On the one hand, the German population is misinformed by government politicians, on the other hand, the government has no problem with us when it comes to energy partnerships or investments,” the minister said.“Is football an exclusive sport for certain people or a certain region? We can’t understand that. It is ironic that this tone is used in countries in Europe that call themselves liberal democracies,” he told Faz.HE Sheikh Mohamed’s comments come following criticism of Qatar’s hosting of the tournament by German Interior Minister Nancy Faesar.“It was also okay that we helped evacuate German citizens from Afghanistan. But when we host a football World Cup, want to enjoy this moment and celebrate together with the German team, then suddenly different standards apply. We can’t understand that,” the HE the Foreign Minister said.In May, Qatar and Germany inked a commitment to strengthen their energy partnership with an emphasis on trade in hydrogen and liquefied natural gas (LNG).Relations between the two states were highlighted back in August 2021, when Qatar helped Berlin evacuate thousands of its nationals from Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover.“This is not the kind of relationship we want to see between two countries like Germany and Qatar. The relationship will always be strong. We will always be open with everyone. But we cannot accept statements based on misinformation.”Since Qatar won the bid in 2010 to host the FIFA World Cup 2022, the country has faced a slew of attacks from the western world, many of which accused it of alleged human rights violations.Qatar has since introduced major reforms to improve the lot of its expatriate workforce, some of which were new to the region. Despite this, criticism has continued and exacerbated, with a complete disregard by critics for the progress made on the ground.“We then also have to hear that Qatar is not a footballing nation, is not intellectually or culturally prepared to host a World Cup. Is that acceptable? Is football an exclusive sport for certain people or a certain region? We can’t understand that. It is ironic that this tone is used in countries in Europe that call themselves liberal democracies. It honestly sounds very arrogant and very racist," the minister said adding that Qatar was rightfully crowned as the winner of the AFC Asian Cup in 2019.In a separate interview with Sky News, HE the Minister said critics of the World Cup in Qatar are “arrogant” and “cannot accept a small country from the Middle East”.“Calling to boycott the World Cup, or those who are not coming to the World Cup, it’s their decision at the end of the day, but why deprive the people and the public from attending and enjoying the World Cup?”Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, and Fatma Samoura, the secretary general, wrote to the 32 competing countries last week, saying “please do not allow football to be dragged into every ideological or political battle that exists.”In a new manifestation of European xenophobic and orientalist tropes to depict Arabs and Muslims in a negative light, French newspaper Le Canard Enchaîné has published a caricature depicting Qatar’s national football team members as terrorists.Social media users have called out the French newspaper for its brazen racism and Islamophobia after it published the caricature depicting Arabs in football kits as terrorists.The image employed the exhausted use of ‘savages’ – ‘long bearded’ angry men with dark hair, angry expressions in possession of guns and knives.The October 2022 issue focuses on Qatar and its role as host of the FIFA World Cup.The publication, shared by a social media user on Twitter, sent shockwaves across the popular platform. Users quickly mobilised to denounce the caricature.In a clear and concise tweet responding to the racism, popular social media user Hend Amry said “France is gonna France”.Some took the opportunity to shed light on France’s ongoing imperialism, with one such tweet noting:“A racist nation, it has not yet apologised for its criminal acts in Algeria and the rest of Africa, and is still stealing the wealth of its people so that the French can live in luxury at the expense of the looted peoples. Do not be surprised by them and their likes if they want to steal your achievement or your joy.”Another frustrated user described France as a “low, decadent country” and said it’s a shame that billions have been invested into sports and the economy.Close political, economic, and diplomatic ties exist between Qatar and France, and the latter is one of the biggest recipients of Qatari investment worldwide. The Gulf state owns the French capital city’s football club, Paris Saint-Germain.“France has not yet gotten rid of its arrogance and contempt for Islamic countries, especially Arab ones, and its nostalgia for colonialism continues,” one user said, adding Paris has never apologised for the atrocities it committed in colonised countries.France has been accused of systematically targeting its Muslim population due to a surge of marginalising policies driven by President Macron , a recent report by the British advocacy group, Cage, stated.Since, Paris has injected a series of infamous laws into its system in order to “isolate Muslim institutions and bestow the state with vast powers to monitor and close institutions, unilaterally dissolve organisations and seize money under the pretence of preserving Republican values and combatting Islamism and/or separatism,” the report said.The policies were put in force to justify the shutting down of at least a dozen mosques, hundreds of Muslim-owned businesses and charities, and the seizure of millions of euros worth of assets. (Courtesy Doha News)