QATAR REJECTS MISHAL’S REQUEST TO LEAVE DOHA

Oatar, 10 Jumadil Awwal 1435/11 March 2014 (MINA) –  Source in Hamas said that Emir Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani rejected a request made by the President of Hamas political bureau, Khaled Mishal, to leave Doha, capital of Qatar.

The source told ” Al Quds Al Arabi “newspaper that Mishal’s request to leave the country, with the rest of Hamas bureau members residing with him, came in order to prevent an aggravation of the disagreement between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain, following the decision of those countries to withdraw their ambassadors from Doha .

According to the source, the request was transferred to Emir Tamim through the Director of Qatari National Intelligence , Ghanem al-Qubaisi , who met with Hamas political bureau recently, ALRAY, Palestinian Media Agency quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting, Tuesday.

Mishal justified his request to avoid the pressure by Saudi Arabia and the UAE on Doha to abandon Hamas, stop supporting it financially, and ask  the President and members of the political bureau to leave it.

The newspaper pointed out that Emir Tamim reiterated his refusal to leave Mishal Doha during a telephone call with Palestinian Prime Minister in Gaza Ismail Haniyeh yesterday .

” Al Quds Al Arabi ” pointed out that Mishal was thinking of Beirut or Khartoum to stay in if he was allowed to leave Doha .

After Hamas succeeded restoring its relations with Iran, the presence of Hamas leadership in Doha and the support received by Qatar are one of the contentious issues between Qatar and Saudi Arabia , UAE and Bahrain. (T/E01/IR)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)