Doha – Qatar has officially declared that Israel will be participating in FIFA-2022 to be hosted in Doha despite the strong opposition from the Palestinians.
Hassan Abdulla al Thawadi, chief executive of the Qatar 2022 World Cup bid said, “All nations participating in the Fifa World Cup are welcome,” when asked about whether Israel would be allowed to participate if they qualified.
He also added that Qatar would allow alcohol consumption during the world’s most watched sporting event.
Adding an insult to the Palestinian’s injury, Qatar National Olympic Committee and the State of Israel co-funded the Doha Stadium in the Israeli city of Sakhnin located in the Galilee region of Israel.
The decision by the Qataris to build the stadium in Israel came after a meeting between Israeli parliamentarian Tibi and Secretary-General of the Qatar National Olympic Committee Sheikh Saud Abdulrahman Al Thani after Israel expressed concerns to build a Qatari stadium in Israel to establish official relations to reach similar interests.
Despite Palestinians’ plight Qatar paid no heed to block Israeli players landing on its soil.
In 2008, Israeli tennis player Shahar Pe’er played in Qatar and Israel was also invited in 2010 for Doha 2010 Indoor Championship.
Qatar has been an Israeli ally since 1996 despite no other Arab country has officially recognized Israel, despite Doha officially funds resistance group Hamas, it maintains diplomatic ties with Israel, leading to high-profile double-standards.
Former Israeli president Shimon Peres paid a high-profile visit to Doha in January 2007, and he also paid visit in 1996, when he launched the new Israeli trade bureau.
Also in January 2008, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak met the former Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifah al-Thani in Switzerland at the World Economic Forum.
