Qatar yanked its ambassador from Egypt after Cairo accused the state of supporting terrorism — and Egyptians aren’t exactly broken up by Doha’s departure.
The Gulf Cooperation Council is siding with Qatar, though, with secretary general Abdullatif al-Zayani saying in a statement that he “rejects accusations by Egypt’s permanent envoy at the Arab League that Qatar supports terrorism.”
The accusations are “unfounded, contradict reality, and ignore the sincere efforts by Qatar as well as the Gulf Cooperation Council and Arab states in combating terrorism and extremism at all levels,” he said, according to Al-Arabiya.
It all started at Wednesday’s Arab League session when Qatar criticized Egypt for its strikes against ISIS forces in Libya, upset that “unilateral” action was taken after the beheading of 21 Coptic Christians without consulting other Arab nations first.
Tarek Adel, Egypt’s representative at the Arab League, replied, according to the Middle East News Agency, “According to our reading in Egypt of the Qatari reservation, it is evident that Qatar is revealing its position that it is supportive of terrorism.”
Qatar’s news agency released a statement from their foreign ministry claiming Adel’s “tense statement… confuses the need to combat terrorism and the brutal killing and burning of civilians.”
Ousted former President Mohamed Morsi is currently on trial, accused of leaking state secrets to Muslim Brotherhood-supporter Qatar. Morsi could receive the death penalty if convicted.
Nasser Bin Hamad M. Al-Khalifa, the former Qatari ambassador to Washington, tweeted that his country objected to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s “behavior as it was violation of UN charter and international law resulting in killing and burning of innocent ppl!”
“After Sisi committed his crimes against Libyan children men and women in Derna, he tried to force Arab states to back him up after the fact,” Al-Khalifa wrote.
Top trending hashtag in Egypt now: Qatar, daughter of a bitch…Qatar recalled its ambassador in Egypt.
— The Big Pharaoh (@TheBigPharaoh) February 18, 2015
The hashtag “with Egypt against terrorism” is top trend in United Arab Emirates #مع_مصر_ضد_الإرهاب — The Big Pharaoh (@TheBigPharaoh) February 19, 2015
They are hiding convicted #MB members & fully supporting them in their country #Qatar_supports_isis
— Yasmine El Bilbeissi (@samantousha) February 19, 2015
Now they are holding us back to present those criminals to justice #Qatar_supports_isis
— Yasmine El Bilbeissi (@samantousha) February 19, 2015
#Aljazeera and #Qatar_supports_isis by publishing fake news to increase hate and violence between Ppl. pic.twitter.com/nBz8wmbTA6
— S A Ⓜ E H (@samehabouelkhie) February 19, 2015
If you checked out the Passport of famous terrors you will find the stamp of Doha airport. #Qatar_supports_isis pic.twitter.com/WCI0ut9pIw
— S A Ⓜ E H (@samehabouelkhie) February 19, 2015
Mercenaries of Qatar all over the world supporting terrorists by cash, weapons, media,..#Qatar_supports_isis pic.twitter.com/POo1UUH1hh”
— Amina (@amina10000001) February 19, 2015
#Qatar_supports_isis Qatar help and protect terrorist criminals ran away from Egypt and refused to comply with interpol jurisdiction
— أحمد (@Al3askarY) February 19, 2015
#Qatar_supports_isis because they host all #brotherhood criminals in #Doha hotels
— Asho (@ashrafthewand) February 19, 2015
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