Egyptian press review: Arab-Qatari rift dominates front pages

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Tue, 06 Jun 2017 - 02:59 GMT

BY

Tue, 06 Jun 2017 - 02:59 GMT

Egyptian daily newspapers – Egypt Today- File photo

Egyptian daily newspapers – Egypt Today- File photo

CAIRO – 6 June 2017: The Arab-Qatari rift and eight countries’ decision to cut diplomatic ties with Qatar dominated headlines in Egypt on Tuesday. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Yemen and Libya’s eastern government broke diplomatic ties and closed their airspace and seaports to Qatari airplanes and ships.

State-run newspaper Al-Ahram’s front page headline read, “Qatar is under siege.” Al-Ahram tackled the decision to cut diplomatic ties with Qatar.

Also in Al-Ahram:
• The Qatari ambassador to Cairo has 48 hours to leave Egypt.

• Egypt’s Foreign Ministry: “We took this decision after all attempts to stop Qatar from supporting terrorist groups failed.”

• Al-Ahram retold the speech given by President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi at the Islamic-American summit held in Riyadh in late May. In his speech, Sisi warned against terrorist groups and the countries funding them and providing them with political umbrellas.

• Central Bank Governor Tarek Amer denied to Al-Ahram that Egypt’s banks stopped dealing with Qatari banks.

• Sisi received French Defense Minister Sylvie Goulard on Monday. Sisi said Egypt is looking forward to enhancing military cooperation with the new French administration of President Emmanuel Macron.

• Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met with his Algerian counterpart Monday and discussed bilateral relations and regional issues.


Al-Akhbar newspaper alone ran the headline, “Arab flood storms Qatar.” Well-informed sources told Al-Akhbar that freezing Qatar’s membership in the Arab League seemed “likely.”

Also in Al-Akhbar:
• Egyptian Parliamentarians endorsed cutting ties with Qatar and called on the Arab league to freeze the membership of Qatar.

• Egypt’s last ambassador to Qatar, Mohamed Morsi, told Al-Akhbar that Qatar may seek Iran’s help. He asserted that Egyptian nationals in Qatar are safe. He manifested Qatar’s strong ties with extremist religious groups, saying it embraces dozens of these groups’ leaders.

Independent newspaper Youm7 ran an exclusive picture of fire burning Qatar’s Prince Tamim. The front page’s headline was, “End of Prince of Terrorism.”

Youm7 cited three scenarios to resolve the Arab-Qatari rift. First, Tamim’s father, Hamad bin Khalifa, could return to power after he was forced to leave office in 2003. Secondly, a new leadership could take the reins of the small Gulf state and turn over a new leaf with the Arab countries. Thirdly, the Ahmed bin Ali family could be restored to power after it was toppled in 1972, one year after declaring independence from Great Britain.

According to Youm7, the third scenario is the best choice for Arab countries fed up with the Khalifa Al-Thani Family.

Also in Youm7:
• Under the headline of “Western countries reconsider their relations with Doha after the Gulf uprising,” Youm7 reported that many western countries decided to review their relationships with Qatar.

• Qatari opposition leader Khaled al-Heel told Youm7 that Tamim’s regime is no longer “legitimate.” He added that on June 12, new developments would take place in Qatar that may change the region’s map. He praised the decision taken by right countries to cut ties with Qatar and said the Qatari regime must show royalty to the Arab region’s interests.

• In another article in Youm7 there was a mention that for the first time since being imprisoned, former President Mohamed Morsi spent 45 minutes with his family. That visit comes after rumors circulated over alleged news about Morsi’s deteriorating health condition.

Private Al-Shorouk newspaper cited sources as saying cutting ties with Qatar would not be the last punitive action against Qatar.

Also in Al-Shorouk:
• FIFA released a statement saying their confidence in Qatar’s ability to host the World Cup has begun to diminish.

• Oil rose 1 percent before paring gains on Monday after a diplomatic rift involving some of the Arab world's major energy producers, while sterling weakened only marginally following a deadly attack in London days before a parliamentary election.

Private Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper reported that Hamas political bureau member Ahmed al-Kord told Al-Masry Al-Youm that a Hamas delegation paid a visit to Egypt on Sunday. The delegation included Hamas leader in Gaza Yehia al-Sinwar, al-Qassam Brigades leader Marawan Eissa and Hamas leading members Tawfeeq Abou Naem and Rouhi Moshtahi.

The visit aims to enhance bilateral relations with Cairo as well as discuss the latest developments regarding the Palestinian cause. The delegation will discuss the humanitarian situation in the besieged Gaza Strip as well as Egypt's role in alleviating the siege.

Also in Al-Masry Al-Youm:
• Punitive actions taken by Egypt against Qatar are not applied on Qatari ships in the Suez Canal.

Partisan Al-Wafd newspaper published two headlines on the front page about TV series “Al-Gamaa,” which Al-Wafd Party has slammed many times since it started airing. Lawyer Samir Sabri filed a lawsuit against the producers of “Al-Gamaa” for falsifying the roles of iconic leaders in Egyptian history.

Also in Al-Wafd:
• Head of the Egyptian Community in Qatar Mohamed Eraqi told Al-Wafd newspaper that Egyptian employees in Qatar feared the diplomatic crisis between the two countries would affect them negatively.

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