Moroccan media accuses Qatar’s Al-Jazeera of provoking conflicts

CAIRO – 2 July 2017: Moroccan social media activists have circulated an old clip accusing Qatar and its Al-Jazeera channel of spreading strife in Rabat.

The video showed a TV interview with former Minister of Communications, Khalid Al-Nasseri, during which he discussed the country’s decision to shut down Al-Jazeera bureau in Morocco, pointing out that Qatar and its media arm were conspiring against the country.

The minister wondered about the Qatari channel's insistence on raising the internal problems of the Arab countries, though it turns a blind eye on the internal issues of Doha.

"Why Al-Jazeera did not interview the individuals who were involved in the coup against the ruling regime in Doha? Why the channel’s programs did not tackle the role of Sheikha Mozah in the Qatari state? Who do really benefit from the wealth of Qatar?"

Morocco was one of the first Arab countries in the Middle East to close the Al-Jazeera’s bureau in October 2010 after revealing its suspicious role in flipping the community and provoking internal conflicts.

The Moroccan Ministry of Communication, then, said in a statement that the decision to shut down the Al-Jazeera came after the ministry has observed the channel’s violation to the general rules of journalism.

The Moroccan authorities had prepared a comprehensive report on the kind of news and programs dealing with the Moroccan issues that were broadcasted on the channel, according to the clip.

The report revealed that the irresponsible media treatment by the Al-Jazeera has harmed the Moroccan interests and threatened the national consensus of the Moroccan people.

Qatar’s relations with several Arab states have been strained since May 24 over a leaked statement attributed to Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad, criticizing Gulf foreign policy with Iran, describing it as “unwise”.

The Qatari crisis was escalated when Egypt and a coalition of Arab states in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) announced a coordinated diplomatic break with Qatar, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. The Arab countries, in dispute with Qatar, accused the peninsular country of funding Islamist terrorists, in part, via the Doha-based Al-Jazeera satellite channel.