The unjust blockade of Qatar is without parallel in the whole world and the Gulf crisis is affecting the GCC badly, former prime minister HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani has said.
In a series of tweets, he said: "The unjust blockade imposed by the brothers against Qatar is entering its third year with all its strange things unparalleled in the whole world, in politics and society as well. The memory of the blockade is not only painful and sad for the Qatari people but for all the GCC people."
HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim said the continuing siege showed the level to which the high Arab and religious standards have plummeted.
However, he said Qatar has managed the fabricated Gulf crisis with wisdom and an open mind.
"As this memory has pain, sadness, unethical conduct, and breaking with the Arab and religious traditions, it has its own funny and painful things. All this shows to what degree has our level went. Qatar has withstood and managed the fabricated crisis with wisdom and open mind."
The former premier said the blockade brought out the best qualities in the Qatari people, who met the "conspiracy" bravely.
"Here I have to greet the Qatari people first because they have faced this conspiracy with a strong will and stood by the wise leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. May be something harmful turns out to be useful as we have started to feel that we are people that can depend on ourselves with the support of the wise leadership."
HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim said Qatar has proved that it can face such challenges successfully with a host of achievements during the last 2 years. He also said the fabricated crisis was based on groundless allegations.
"The best evidence of this is the achievements made throughout the period of the blockade. I have a question (preoccupying my mind) for the Saudi Arabian leadership: who is taking benefit of the crisis, and why it was fabricated? Brothers, leave what you claim about issues that are groundless."
He urged the Saudi leadership to stand for protecting the interests of the GCC and uniting the GCC people against the conspiracies plotted against them. But he regretted that some people within the bloc have become pawns in the hands of the plotters.
"I still have hopes that Saudi Arabia with its leadership stands for the interests of the GCC and above all maintains the existence of the GCC and keeps the GCC people strongly united against the major plots being made against us. Unfortunately, some of us have become tools to carry out such plots. Consequently, I call for unity and collaboration as this is not out of weakness."
Stressing the need for a strong GCC, the former prime minister said the council is like a family where each member's achievement is considered as a joint gain and he did not want such an organisation to be destroyed as part of any sinister design against the people of the Gulf region.
"The leadership and the people of Qatar have proven that we can withstand, produce and flourish. Each achievement of Qatar or any GCC country adds to the GCC, which I don't want to be destroyed for a reason that has become clear."
