Qatar grants nationality to Israeli students

CAIRO – 21 August 2017: The Qatari government granted its nationality for free to Israeli students, received them in its universities and gave them academic scholarships, Saudi Okaz newspaper cited Qatari media sources on Sunday.

Qatar’s latest move is an indicato of its confusion, and many sources slammed this action especially after four Arab countries economically and diplomatically boycotted Qatar, according to the Qatari media sources.

A professor of Georgetown University in Qatar clarified that due to the small number of Qatari students in Qatari universities, Qatar tries to lure foreigner students including Israeli ones by offering them academic scholarships at a cost of $35.000 for each student.


The professor said the Qatari academic scholarship is offered by the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development which was established by Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, a spouse of former Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani.

He added that a number of Israeli students visited the Qatari universities during the last two years, as well as representatives of Israeli high schools regularly participating in annual conferences held by the Qatari universities.

The total number of Israeli students in Doha is 220.

Earlier, Qatar had withdrawn its nationality from several Qatari tribal families and dismissed them out of its borders over allegations of supporting the failed coup led by the former Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani against his son Tamim to restore the office.

Qatar witnessed three coups in 40 years and, according to observers, “the fourth might be approaching,” amid Arab demands to change the Qatari administration. Many Arab and regional countries have cut or severed diplomatic ties with Qatar on charges of supporting terrorist groups and strongly allying with Iran and Israel.

Egypt and many Arab and Islamic nations severed ties with Qatar over allegations that the oil-rich state supports and funds terrorism. These countries closed off their airspace for Qatari airplanes, and closed all ports to Qatari vessels.