New remarks from one of Dubai’s top security officials, who has called for the annexation of Qatar into the UAE, are generating an outpouring of online response from Doha’s local community.
In a series of tweets posted this week to his more than 600,000 followers, Lt. General Dhahi Khalfan, the deputy chairman of Police and General Security in Dubai, said:
نطالب باعادة قطر الى سيادة مشيخة ابوظبي عودة الفرع الى اﻻصل.
— ضاحي خلفان تميم (@Dhahi_Khalfan) March 30, 2014
المفروض نضع على حدودنا باتجاه قطر انتم اﻵن على مشارف اﻻمارة الثامنة لدولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة.
— ضاحي خلفان تميم (@Dhahi_Khalfan) March 31, 2014
ﻻ يجوز ان تكون قطر وكرا لجماعة الإخوان المتأسلمين.
— ضاحي خلفان تميم (@Dhahi_Khalfan) April 1, 2014
Translation: “We demand that Qatar be returned to its original ruling under Abu Dhabi, return the branch to its original one.”
“Qatar is an integral part of the UAE. We must put up signs on our borders with Qatar stating: ‘You are now entering the UAE’s eighth emirate.'”
“Qatar should not be ‘a safe haven’ to the so-called ‘Muslim’ Brotherhood.”
Khalfan, formerly Dubai’s police chief, is a longtime critic of the Islamist group, which Qatar has supported. However, many in the GCC see the Muslim Brotherhood as a threat to their political stability.
Qatar’s position on the group has been cited by analysts and local officials as the main reason the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain recalled their ambassadors from Doha last month.
Khalfan’s tweets also mention his disapproval of Azmi Bishara, a former member of Israel’s Knesset and the general director of Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies in Qatar, in addition to prominent Doha-based Islamic scholar Sheikh Yusuf Al Qaradawi.
Online reaction
Qatar has not publicly commented on the senior security official’s remarks.
But the Qatari community has been discussing Khalfan’s statements on social networks, with some mocking his posts under the Twitter hashtag #ضاحي_خلفان_يطالب_بضم_قطر_للإمارات (Dhahi Khalfan demanding the annexation of Qatar to UAE).
https://twitter.com/ebrahimalsada2/status/451234260184072192/
https://twitter.com/shtbyy/status/451330676642807808
Khalfan also asserted that Emiratis comprise 80 percent of Qatar’s total population, and were the first to name the country’s city Doha, saying: “I hope you’re not upset, this is the truth.”
@NadaBadawi it was never his to 'reclaim' please refrain from using such words that would indicate our country belongs to them.
— Barely Political (@impolitical1) April 2, 2014
But Twitter users scorned the remarks, reminding Khalfan that the UAE, along with Qatar and Bahrain, were collectively known as the Trucial States after the British withdrew their colonial presence from the region in 1968.
#ضاحي_خلفان_يطالب_بضم_قطر_للإمارات
ضاحي خلفان الذي يطالب بضم قطر نسي أن مشيخته كانت تابعة في ذلك الوقت لسلطنة عمان ! http://t.co/ri6Wwo02CG— meme (@Mshael1) March 31, 2014
Diplomatic ties
Some have expressed concern about the online row, saying Khalfan’s tweets could heighten the already existing tension between Qatar and the UAE.
@NadaBadawi @dohanews is the road from Qatar to UAE going to be better? Or will it not make a difference
— Hamad Al-Amari (@hamadalamari) April 2, 2014
https://twitter.com/MoonNor27/status/450390468938182656
Translation: “I love the UAE and its people, but he’s crazy! It’s not allowed to cause chaos between Gulf countries. Shame on his words.”
The tensions began worsening earlier this year, after the UAE officially objected to a sermon of Al Qaradawi’s. During a broadcast speech, the Egyptian-born Qatari cleric criticized the UAE’s support for Egypt’s new military government, which overthrew Brotherhood-backed President Mohamed Morsi last year in Cairo.
Since then, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have pledged billions of dollars in aid to the new government. Qatar meanwhile had backed Morsi’s government and has seen the return of aid it previously offered to his administration.
The situation escalated last month with the withdrawal of Saudi, UAE and Bahrain’s envoys. In addition, Saudi Arabia declared the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group.
However, many are doubtful that Khalfan’s messages will do anything more than spark ire for now. A think tank source in Qatar who asked to remain anonymous told Doha News:
“His remarks have surprised many people and have done little other than to exacerbate public antipathy between Qatar and the UAE. It is hard to see why such a senior official feels the need to express himself in this way – it is extremely counterproductive.”
He added that the problems between the Gulf countries would be fixed by officials more senior than Khalfan, and “not on Twitter.”
Thoughts?
Apparently he also claimed his grandfather buried a treasure chest in Qatar… That’s his proof that Qatar is the “eighth emirate of the UAE”… Crazy people aren’t worth listening to. Waste of time and space
Man this dude would better serve the public on a stage telling jokes. What business does he have with the police? Obviously he is a comedian or schizophrenic.
He’s basically a very vulgar version of a South Park character. Someone from Abu Dhabi wants him to be in Dubai to embarrass Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid.
I hope he shuts up soon. But he comments do sound comical.
Wait, MORE vulgar than a South Park character? That’s possible?
“We must put up signs on our borders with Qatar stating: ‘You are now entering the UAE’s eighth emirate” Oh, you mean the land between us at Khor Al Uddid (inland sea) that Abu Dhabi had to give up to Saudia in 1971 so Saudia would recognize the UAE as an independent country? The land that only a few years ago led to a diplomatic dispute between the UAE and Saudia? Hahaha :p
LOL! Can I get in touch with this guy to serve as entertainment at my next party? LOL bummer… Qatar probably wont let him into the country.
Isn’t Qatar and the UAE part of the UK anyway?
Not a bad supposition given the number of nationals crashing Lambos in Knightsbridge.
Or the number of British drunk-tards dotting our beaches
They tend to hide at home with their red noses and bottles of Scotch talking about the “good old days”. Mostly seems to be young families on the beaches.
Funny, The only ‘drunk-tards’ I ever see around the Bars or Beaches of Qatar usually have Arabic as their 1st language……..Except the Rugby Club.
Yep just head to the rotana they even wear thobes in there whilst smacking down the grog then driving off after 10 hours of drinking. No one seems to care.
Where? What beaches? Isn’t it illegal to drink on the beaches?
Can we invent a new verb? Do you think he’s trying to pull a Putin?
Do they have any rainbow camels in the UAE for Khalfan to ride 😉
Please no, I don’t want to see Khalfan doing this:
What is he doing to that pony?
Please no, I don’t want to see Khalfan doing this :p
80% of Qataris are Emiraties by origin !! Really?
Fresh given over 50% of Emiraties are ethnically either Persian or Baloshi (Pakistan)… Not that it’s bad just a fact
It says a lot when their tribesmen celebrate with sticks and Qatar tribesmen celebrate with swords
Ok that’s a good one! 😉
This another great example of why twitter is just a bad thing for public figures, as it lets them speak without thinking.
I dont know much about this guy, but i already start assuming marijuana is legal in UAE~
Funny guy the Emirati Lt. General 🙂
No doubt its the UAE’s version of Al Qaradawi