Ahmed Al-Jarallah – Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times

MISTAKEN is the one who portrays the relations between Qatar and other Gulf states to be based only on political and economic interests. The truth is these relations are primarily based on kinship, alliance and mutual destiny. In fact, this is the case with every Gulf nation.This is why talking about any differences in opinion in this regard is like walking on a mine field with thorny plants. Any misstep could lead to undesired separation, which is the worst thing to imagine. Qatar staying away from the natural Gulf formation, or the other way around, is tantamount to amputating a limb from a body.All the countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council want Qatar to be a strong wing that helps the rest of the body, shielding it from anything that could disturb the stability of the entire system. At the same time, these countries also want Qatari leadership to express its people’s emotions, which are part of the emotions of other Gulf citizens and are based on goodwill, cooperation and brotherhood.Therefore, the pain is massive in case of any lapse, even if the lapse comes in the form of the hacking of Qatar News Agency (QNA) and the statement attributed to the Amir of Qatar His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad. This is because no one can imagine he would issue such a statement, knowing that such a stance could sever historic ties that date back to centuries.In the past hours, people of the Gulf countries have been in dismay over this issue. If the Qatar News Agency was really hacked, is it rational for the hackers to hack even the social media platforms too? Is it possible for such statements to evade all the concerned officials, unless there is someone who wants to put Qatar and its leader in an embarrassing situation?On the basis of the concept “Every cloud has a silver lining”, this incident presents a suitable occasion to clear all confusions in the minds of the Gulf people over some of Qatar’s stances. This can be done through rapid moves from top-level authority in Doha.Such a clarification is necessary even if we believe Iran, or any other entity that harbors ill intentions towards Qatar, is behind the hacking. This is because the perpetrator went on to publish stances that will firstly harm Doha before any other capital.The clarification is necessary even if we claim that it does not represent the actual stance of the youthful leader.The published statement falls in the framework of hostile positions, given that it is impossible for any official in the region not to see the interference of Iran in the affairs of GCC countries, the recent of which were its interference in Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and the eastern area of Saudi Arabia.To add to that is the daily massacres committed by Iranian militias in Iraq, Syria and Yemen in a bid to control the Arabian Peninsula.Everyone knows that the success of Iran’s regime in its endeavor to control the region will lead to destruction and chaos in other GCC countries; but there is no doubt that the GCC citizens, under no circumstance, would accept being under the mercy of the regime of imposture and the Persian peacock’s arrogance.Based on these facts, no one can see Iran as a guarantor of stability in the region while it is still on its expansionism course and is under international isolation because of its shameful practices of organized terrorism.Again, at a time when the whole world particularly the GCC countries are putting Hamas – the movement that constructed tunnels for Iran along Egyptian-Palestinian border after snatching governance in a section of the state of origin – on the terrorist list, Doha became a safe haven for leaders of the movement, which in turn frustrates the efforts of the GCC countries.This is in addition to Qatar’s supportive stance towards the Muslim Brotherhood Group despite the deliberate destruction caused by this group in the Arabian Gulf region. This destruction focuses on the education and social ties, and includes several years of efforts to perpetrate crisis and terrorism in Egypt. Despite all these, the capitals of GCC countries continued to maintain brotherly ties with Doha.We never imagined any GCC leader or even official could defend Hezbollah of Lebanon the way it was widely reported, under the claim that the Qatari Amir is completely aware of all the crimes perpetrated by Hezbollah. Those actions started from Kuwait through Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen and reaching Iraq and Syria. This group used the sway of weapon to push Lebanon into the club of failed states.Yes, the statement attributed to the youthful Amir baffled all GCC citizens, and official denials could not erase the feeling. The reason is because restoration of tranquility requires a position that can treat the pain caused by that statement to the GCC citizens who were still living in euphoria of the massive victory accomplished during the historic Riyadh Summit. It was there the US Administration reverted to the meeting point over the mutual interests we share with the United States of America which the White House administrations had jettisoned in the last 15 years.Qatar and her citizens remain an integral part of us. We are indeed tied together by brotherliness since we share the same fate. The citizens of Qatar have an opinion that should be expressed by the dynamic youthful leader. For this, jeopardizing efforts of those who plan to play a dirty game with the ties should be done through direct denial from the highest authorities.In this way, whatever was reported could be considered as not representing the true position of our dear Qatari leadership. It will rather raise the level of Qatar’s protection, especially in the media, so that it can consolidate the GCC fort. Nobody wishes to see through Qatar the Houthi dagger sheath in the Arabian Gulf waist.By Ahmed Al-JarallahEditor-in-Chief, the Arab Times