LONDON: A US-based nonprofit group has issued a letter to American Airlines warning against doing business with Qatar — and will be sending tailored versions to other international corporations.
Qatar is allegedly harboring terrorists and funding extremist groups, according to the letter sent by the Counter Extremism Project (CEP).
In the CEP letter, seen by Politico, CEO Mark Wallace wrote, “Qatar has a long history of providing support for extremism and terrorism, including but not limited to vast financial and material support to internationally designated terrorist groups and willing accommodation of internationally designated or wanted terrorist leaders and financiers.”
The letter reportedly warns of a “risk to employees resident in Qatar” and accuses Qatar of offering financial support, either directly or indirectly, to Hamas, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and the Taliban.
A version of the letter was sent to American Airlines, and according to Politico tailored versions will soon be sent to 11 other companies around the world, including Siemens, Volkswagen, Credit Suisse, Barclays, Royal Dutch Shell and AccorHotels.
While portions of each letter are specific to the recipient company, the arguments laid out against the Qatari government reportedly remain the same in each version.
Wallace’s letter also states that companies doing business with Qatar may see the “diminution of corporate reputation and shareholder value,” as well possibly facing the “imposition of future sanctions on Qatar by other jurisdictions.”
The letter says that “serious legal, financial, commercial, and reputational risks associated with operating in and doing business with Qatar will continue for the foreseeable future — unless and until Qatar fundamentally changes its behavior and Qatar verifiably abandons its manifest support of terrorist and extremist groups and individuals … Consequently, prudent companies should conclude that business opportunities, partnerships, and ties in and with Qatar and its affiliated agencies are not worth the risk.”
The Counter Extremism Project, founded in 2014, features a long section on its website devoted to Qatar titled: “Qatar, Money and Terror: Doha’s Dangerous Policies” — in which the NGO writes that: “Qatar — a longtime US ally and member of the Global Coalition to Counter ISIS (Daesh) — has supported and harbored international terrorist organizations and individuals. The hydrocarbon-rich Gulf country sends direct financial and material support to internationally-designated terrorist groups such as Hamas and the Nusra Front, and knowingly permits internationally-designated or wanted terrorist leaders and financiers to operate within its borders.”
The letter writer at CEP, Mark Wallace, is one the group’s co-founders. The former diplomat was part of the US delegation to the UN under President George W. Bush. He was also an adviser to the 2008 presidential campaign of Sen. John McCain.
Counter-extremism nonprofit urges multinationals not to do business with Qatar
Counter-extremism nonprofit urges multinationals not to do business with Qatar
Israel’s hostage forum releases AI-generated video of last Gaza captive
- The Gaza ceasefire, which came into effect in October, remains fragile with both sides alleging violations, and mediators fearing that Israel and Hamas alike are stalling
JERUSALEM: An Israeli group representing the families of Gaza hostages released on Tuesday an AI-generated video of Ran Gvili, the last captive whose body is still being held in the Palestinian territory.
The one-minute clip, created whole cloth using artificial intelligence, purports to depict Gvili as he sits in a Gaza tunnel and appeals to US President Donald Trump to help bring his body back to Israel.
“Mr President, I’m asking you to see this through: Please bring me home. My family deserves this. I deserve the right to be buried with honor in the land I fought for,” says the AI-generated image of Gvili.
Gvili was 24 at the time of Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
He was an officer in Israel’s Yasam elite police unit and was on medical leave when he learnt of the attack.
He decided to leave his home and brought his gun to counter the Hamas militants.
He was shot in the fighting at the Alumim kibbutz before he was taken to Gaza.
Israeli authorities told Gvili’s parents in January 2024 that he had not survived his injuries.
The AI clip was released by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, the main group representing those taken captive to Gaza.
The Forum said it was published with the approval of Gvili’s family.
“Seeing and hearing Rani speak in his own voice is both moving and heartbreaking. I would give anything to hear, see and hold him again,” Gvili’s mother Talik said, quoted by the Forum.
“But all I can do now is plead that they don’t move to the next phase of the agreement before bringing Rani home — because we don’t leave heroes behind.”
The Gaza ceasefire, which came into effect in October, remains fragile with both sides alleging violations, and mediators fearing that Israel and Hamas alike are stalling.
In the first stage, Palestinian militants were expected to return all of the remaining 48 living and dead hostages held in Gaza.
Since the ceasefire came into effect on October 10, militants have released 47 hostages.
In the next stages of the truce, Israel is supposed to withdraw from its positions in Gaza, an interim authority is to govern the Palestinian territory instead of Hamas, and an international stabilization force is to be deployed.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet Trump in Florida later this month to discuss the second phase of the deal.
