People have been freaking out after it was reported that the Qatari Emir had made controversial comments on Iran, Hamas/Hezbollah and the United States.
Overnight the state-run Qatar News Agency published unprecedented statements apparently given by the Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. These include suggestions that “there is no wisdom in harboring hostility towards Iran,” claims that Trump’s administration “won’t last long” and (not so) subtle digs at Qatar’s Saudi allies.
Arab social media was set alight as khaleejis went into meltdown over the claims.
#قطر_تنفي_والعربيه_تنبح
— SALMAN (@abosamy9009) May 24, 2017
خائن للعرب
Traitor to the Arabs.
Retweeted fahad Mohsen (@fahadmohsen85):#قطر_تبيع_الوهم_وتزرع_الارهاب pic.twitter.com/KeJh8ovduW https://t.co/SNjrFbGTZm
— Emad Hassan (@EmadHas25758850) May 24, 2017
[Qatar is shown stabbing “the Gulf” in the back]
Qatar quickly issued a statement claiming that the station had been hacked and denying the comments attributed to the Emir.
Government Communications Office Statement Regarding Hacking of #Qatar News Agency: pic.twitter.com/gRH56n9vEm
— سفارة دولة قطر-لندن (@QatarEmbassyUK) May 24, 2017
However, some Saudi channels continued to report the statements as fact, and the Emirates reportedly banned Qatar-owned AlJazeera network. The hashtag “Qatar denies while Al-Arabiya barks” has been trending on Wednesday morning, referring to the Saudi-based Al-Arabiya network, which apparently took Emir Tamim's 'words' at face value.
Sky News Arabia & Al-Arabiya are both in a constant attack on Qatar despite the comments of Amir Qatar were proved hacked. pic.twitter.com/640bk5RFBB
— Zaid Benjamin (@zaidbenjamin) May 23, 2017
وش صاير ?? #قطر_تسحب_سفراء_الخليج
Huge media war between Qatari and Saudi media, following the remarks attributed to the King of Qatar, the Qatari media denied the statements pic.twitter.com/zzOhBDBidK
— Asaad Hanna (@AsaadHannaa) May 24, 2017
#Qatar's Al-Jazeera Arabic: #UAE blocks al-Jazeera Arabic website and telephone applications. pic.twitter.com/O2BRoeS4dy
— Zaid Benjamin (@zaidbenjamin) May 23, 2017
The result of this battle for media coverage is that no-one seems to know what on Earth is going on...
— محمد ابراهيم (@mohammedalmunf) May 24, 2017
What is happening? #QatarWithdrawsItsAmbassadorsFromTheGulf
In the mist of the chaos, Twitter users took their seats to watch the chaos unfold...
#قطر_تسحب_سفراء_الخليج
— سعود || saud (@ssq_210) May 24, 2017
MOOD : pic.twitter.com/T8A6WHTR95
Mood #تصريحات_تميم #وزير_الخارجية #قطر pic.twitter.com/bAm7j5dtPY
— yassar (@y999assar) May 24, 2017
#قطر_تسحب_سفراء_الخليج
— Mohammed|+57 (@Eldosra) May 24, 2017
Mood:- pic.twitter.com/FCAUAQoCTI
And some couldn’t help making a joke out of the whole ridiculous situation...
Watching ppl getting mad over sth fake is kinda funny, wanna see their reactions after knowin about the truth #قطر_تسحب_سفراء_الخليج
— NOURA (@BANGTANSSQUAD) May 24, 2017
#تصريحات_تميم
— Nouf (@nt_alnaif1995) May 24, 2017
قطر : left the group
Although others were more philosophical about the “fake news age”.
#قطر_تنفي_والعربيه_تنبح pic.twitter.com/zC0nhMzqgY
— ولد سلمان (@3oUM9f8nFhlDDLl) May 24, 2017
This latest furor over fake news comes after Qatar last week claimed it was the target of a media smear campaign ahead of US President Trump's visit to the Gulf.
RA
