EXCLUSIVE - Saudi crown prince 'not well advised', former Qatari PM tells FRANCE 24

Subscribe to France 24 now:
f24.my/youtubeEN
FRANCE 24 live news stream: all the latest news 24/7
f24.my/YTliveEN
Former Qatari Prime Minister Hamad Bin Jassim al-Thani granted a 30-minute interview to FRANCE 24. He discussed relations with Saudi Arabia as well as the ongoing Gulf crisis, the war in Syria and the stalled Middle East peace process.
In an exclusive interview with FRANCE 24, former Qatari PM Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani said Doha was taken by surprise by the blockade decided by Saudi Arabia, the UAE and their allies in June 2017, claiming the real objective of this move was "to overthrow" the emir of Qatar. He pointed out that the Trump administration, after initially siding with the Saudis and Emiratis, had now reversed course. He added that for the time being, he did not see any hope for a solution to the crisis.
Meanwhile, Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani accused Saudi Arabia and the UAE of “breaking the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)” by targeting Qatar. Moreover, he pointed fingers at the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, saying he was “not well advised”, that his decisions were made in a “weird” and “irresponsible” way, and that instead of using force inside and outside his country, he should focus on the well-being of his people. He also noted that after being initially hopeful about “MBS” and his self-proclaimed reform agenda, he had now changed his mind. “I am disappointed” by Mohammed bin Salman, the former Qatari PM told FRANCE 24.
He also took a swipe at the Emirati leader Mohamed bin Zayed, saying he was acting as a negative influence on the Saudi crown prince. He added that he still hoped the crown prince would come to his senses and become a true leader of the region.
On Iran, he urged the Trump administration to resolve its differences with Tehran in a peaceful way and also stressed that the GCC needed to engage in a serious dialogue with Iran.
'Assad has lost his country'
Commenting on the war on Syria, as Idlib province, the last rebel-held stronghold, is about to fall, Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani pointed to a “failure” of Bashar al-Assad. While the Syrian president may be winning the war militarily, he has “lost his country and his people”, the former Qatari PM insisted, warning that Assad’s victory may be temporary and that only genuine reconciliation could repair the country. He added that he doubted Assad would be ready to step aside and usher in a new leadership.
The former Qatari PM added that the failure of the international community in Syria was due to bickering within the coalition fighting Assad, citing Israel’s alleged support for Damascus as a major factor, as well as the infamous “red line” on chemical weapons that President Barack Obama refused to enforce in 2013. He added that while Qatar had been given the lead in supporting the Syrian opposition at the onset of the war, Saudi Arabia eventually decided to take the lead, fuelling tensions. Asked about the alleged Qatari support for the al Qaeda-linked al-Nusra jihadist group, he said that all coalition partners, including Western countries, were aware of the kind of support being offered to the various Syrian opposition outlets and that when a decision was made to withdraw support for al-Nusra, Qatar obliged.
Finally, asked about the Middle East peace process, the former Qatari PM said he “still believed in a Palestinian state” and that the Trump administration could broker a deal between Israel and the Palestinians. He lamented that the Trump administration was not talking to the Palestinians and warned that it had to change its approach and stop listening only to Benyamin Netanyahu and a handful of Arab countries in the region, namely Saudi Arabia and the UAE. He stressed that the Palestinians could not be pressured by force or money to accept a deal, and regretted that Saudi Arabia and the UAE were doing so in order to “please the American [Trump] administration”.
www.france24.com/en/taxonomy/e...
Visit our website:
www.france24.com
Subscribe to our KZbin channel:
f24.my/youtubeEN
Like us on Facebook:
/ france24.english
Follow us on Twitter:
/ france24_en

[@ziyadbaraja3728]

Unusually France 24 doesn’t ask hard question 🤔🤔🤔🤔

[@tajrasti]

I love how he spilled all the beans. "Saudi-Arabia and UAE want to do everything with force" this is true in many ways.

[@mansari7310]

love qatar from iran we never forget our friend even if need to fight beside you

[@amfm823]

You also get advise from Iran and turkey :D

[@aliferrari1680]

You’re right, he’s a gentleman and talks reasonably and with common sense.

[@HmodySA]

لن ننسى ماقترفته يداك انت وعزمي وشلتك الباقية من الدمار في بلادنا العربية والإسلامية .. نطالب بمحاكمته واعدامه بناءً على ماقترفه من إجرام بحق شعوبنا

[@thinfeelings]

ماتنلام السعوديه لمن قاطعتهم خونه عملاء اسرائيل

[@hughchapman64]

A really thoughtful guy who is quite peaceful in his approach. One does not have to speak perfect English to be reasonable. He is a brilliant guy.

[@brianbozo2447]

It seems as if you frontal lobotomy has been a complete success! Congratulations.

[@saedal-tamimi6053]

Whatever dude........ I love your office . can you take us on a palace tour ?

[@nasreenebrahim2220]

They should never support Israel Nato USA, Saudi etc. The 2 state solution has failed Miserably. Leave Syria , Palestine and Yemen alone. The Muslims around the world will revolt against all these injustices. The hate is building up.

[@parvezkhan-rs5zc]

Great man, word by word absolutely right .

[@dixiepatriotcampboss2978]

You are a honest & frank person Hamad Bin Jassim Al Thani, Halla Walla.

[@xelakram]

This was a very, very interesting interview.

[@user-ox3wz6qm5q]

It should be called the interview with a Qatari funder of terrorism

[@xelakram]

Aren't you being a little unfair?

[@user-ox3wz6qm5q]

@@xelakram Nope! I know this guy very well . The current Qatari foreign minister Mohammed bin Abdurahman said in an interview that Qatar has funded Al_Nusrah terrorists group which is linked to Al_Qaeada. He admitted that the funded Al_Nusrah terrorists group. I know the crisis of the middle East very well . We all know Qatari media channels are the only platform for Osama bin Laden to threat the US & Saudi Arabia and other countries. The Qatari channel ALJAZERAH is the only one who knew where Osama bin Laden was hiding . They used to travel to Afganistan to meet him to record him threatening the world.

[@abdulrhmanalolayan165]

Isn’t this the same guy who said 20 years ago that “after 10 years there will be no more Saudi royal family”. Really funny, you look at Qatar now and it is about to become an island 😂

[@Jaidah5]

When did he say that? And whats wrong with being an island? Are you proud of your country spending billions just to turn Qatar into an island instead of focusing on more important things like eradicating poverty?

[@sweetdream6202]

Now KSA can focus after throwing Qater to Iran 😂😂😂😂😂🕋

[@kp5602]

@@Jaidah5 1. Saudi Arabia has enough money to eradicate poverty AND turn it into an Island. 2. The leaked talks between Hamad Bin Jassim and Bin Khalifa and Gaddafi

[@bes1batch1976]

He won the war he loses his people and country terrible price of winning the warqatari people are very intelligent i am beginning to like they ate highly educated and intelligent

[@royjames1856]

reasonable man definitely. I agree with him

[@Geetavish]

Really impressed with Al-Thani. Hope he becomes the President of GCC and make GCC similar to EU. We should have listened to him and could have saved Jamal Qhashoggi from MBS.

[@xelakram]

This gentleman speaks so much sense. He seems to be a very reasonable man indeed.

[@oz3319]

You call this man reasonable?? Are you high or something is wrong with your brain ??

[@xelakram]

High? Me? You must be joking! The gentleman seems perfectly reasonable to me. He comes over as a very likeable man. A true gent!

[@oz3319]

The guy just admit on tv backing a terrorist group El nosra, and you call him a true gent !!?

[@xelakram]

I didn't hear him say that. At which point in the interview did he say that? How many minutes into the interview? But bear in mind that they're all at that game in the ME.

[@oz3319]

7.12 hear the question and answer !!

[@mohamedhakda9295]

Hamad is awesome person so honest for peace in middle east

[@abf.s]

Proud of his highness ، proud of qatar ، happy to be a qatari

[@suwashphuyal1840]

Long live Qatar

[@Tadpoletofrogs]

He is an evil liar. Nothing to be proud of to bring down your Arab brothers. And spread Wahabism.

[@asaduzzamanbabu9386]

Are you Qatariyan...?

[@workplace8605]

Very intellectual talks, well measured spoken words 👌🏼 ☮️ is the way forward.

[@mouzamouza5608]

You talk in a very abatract way which ignores many of the details you have done during your work as a minister! OMG how on earth can a person lie like this in a public tv!

[@HmodySA]

شكله للحين مسؤول عن دولة تنظيم الحمدين .. بس للحين يشرق ويغرب ومضيع حاله وبلده .. حسبي الله على بني صهيون كيف زادهم ربنا عمى فوق العمى .

[@nabqa5960]

بني صهيون صارو في ابوظبي الان اافرح

[@salehalateyah3309]

قناة تجمع كل قذارة الدنيا

[@alexportugal1212]

thats one ugly suit

[@DrLecterChianti]

In other words : Everything is not our fault, but Israel, US, and Europe responsabiliy. How about taking responsibility for ONCE? Also, an improved spoken English is clearly a priority for His Excellency.

[@SriharshaaPrabhakar]

Very nicely covered. It’s a region where it needs stability and we hope and pray that it is resolved soon...

[@ciscoworld322]

I can see a lots of trolls here , as he explained the middle East games perfectly well , Israel ,Saudi , UAE ,etc got worried and send their trolls to bombard him so he will be discredited . But , truth will prevail eventually !

[@onereligion4797]

What I like about the Qatari administration is they have the gut to speak the truth when other administrations are coward liars.

[@mohaamd_7505]

One Religion You're misguided its unbelievable. "Speak the truth" Just wow.

[@nomamhlongo1927]

True

[@BaibonnDilangalenSangid-fv9qk]

You don't need adviser on matters of free sspeech. In fact, Arab leaders reliance on Western advises is what dragging them down. Enough of Nazi Israel as dividing elements. Cut ties - - if it must you have resources and power to defend yourselves. Common sense is what you need, in fact Arabs are the most advanced in governance if only you read your Prophet great book. Be guided

[@maaaaaajed]

يا وسع وجهه .. عقب فضيحة تسجيلاته مع القذافي مدري كيف لا زال له وجه يطلع ويتكلم

[@maaaaaajed]

@@user-ib4jt6xj3g والله مدري شتقول الشرهه على عزمي اللي يوظفكم قبل يعطيكم كورس لهجه

[@aadobmi9058]

ماجد لين متى بتشرح لهم. ترى هذول حمير ما يفهمون.

[@alialk1384]

How come you are saying that you wish the best to Saudi and at the same time you make your own evil plans to destroy and separate Saudi a part. Everybody has listened to a phone call taped with Alghathafi. You cant play Trix and jokes anymore.

[@ymm11]

كان يجب وضع ترجمة لـ اللغة العربية لأن ضيف الـمقابلة شخصية عربية🛑

[@lindsayrae2454]

They are either Sunni or Shia and biased accordingly. Both fighting over the same fairytale.

[@mibrahi05]

Hahaha It’s so funny to see a jerk try to be a thinker or speaker!! I like his mumble jumble. ان الزرازير لما طار طاءرها توهمت بانها صارت شواهينا

[@faresalmodaihsh1296]

He knows that WE KNOW that he was LYING! 😁 What a broken English he speaks!! How could he become a PM?!!!

[@unaninanine3743]

Does MBS speak better English? Can any Western Pm or President, speak fluent Arabic? Is English, the language of imperialists, a condition and standard for Arabs? You are a slave with no hope.

[@Kunafah]

When did english become a norm to become a PM? So stupid of you to say it..yeah

[@kp5602]

@@unaninanine3743 Your comment is about as smart as you are.

[@unaninanine3743]

@@kp5602 Benevolently translated, that would still leave you in the sludge pile. Goodbye... attention seeker.

[@The.Real.Jalila]

با شين الانجليزي من لسانه 🤣🤮

[@samaniyusif9860]

May u be blocked forever. U are paying for what you did to other countries

[@sweetdream6202]

Hhhhhhhhh Funy hijacking Qater and USA air pace already there 😂😂😂🙉🙉🙉

[@hoo-rei2746]

There's a distinct pattern here. Accused with no evidence,,,.mmm I smell Britain here. Divide & conquer. Arabs need to click & unite.

[@TheWhitePele76]

It is a sweet talk only. This man is liar. He established and adobted the ruinous strategy of Qatar. His hand is bloody. 🔫 Do not believe him.

[@Rapidn911]

0:28

[@mellofranco3340]

E o irmão do papi Hamad xeique Hamad

[@Sabah673]

الناس تقول سير يا

[@abdullaalbraiki5331]

So much contradiction in one interview.

[@s2aaaa2d]

Bin Jassim bought the announcer and the whole episode. I swear that the announcer does not know the difference between Mohammed bin Salman and Mohammed bin Zayed and do not know where Qatar lies from the borders of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Only knows how much deposit value in his account and the text of the talk

[@vamseemk]

Haha....Bithraything the Arabs...

[@mistieblue9]

MBS want all the money of Qatar! But Qataris are like wise and did so well since day 1! Qatar kick MBS and make sure as he will never came back!

[@user-pu2xg5ym6g]

اسد من اسود هذا الزمن لم ارى شبيه له الا صدام حسين حمّد بن جاسم رجل محنك ومهندس الدبلوماسيه والذكاء والدهاء

[@user-ox3wz6qm5q]

LMAO I didn't understand any sentence from him . I really don't know who let him be a foreign minister 😂

[@Jaidah5]

ناصر القحطاني 505 before criticizing him for not speaking proper english make sure you can form a proper sentence

[@user-ox3wz6qm5q]

@@Jaidah5 Did I make any mistake?!

[@hoo-rei2746]

Learn his language then. I understand him perfectly well & im English,

[@mydo188]

Liar liar liar 🤥

[@ilovemywife1504]

You are great lair

[@hiddentruth2067]

S

[@Sabah673]

سافرنا يوم السعودية سمحت

[@ms9771]

If he had same situation, saudi pay , to destroy Qatar what he do , special when Israeli give training to those, ISIS , mercenary to destroy Qatar his country , like what is going on in Syria,

[@mohammadyar7431]

HOW about we free your people first

[@MEMOsunkissed]

we're free thank you very much. No dissidents in jail, No one in jail for having an opinion. All our rights preserved. You can't say the same for Saudi and Emirati people.

[@hiddentruth2067]

Bloody médias.

[@mohaamd_7505]

"He did not spoke" - Hamad Bin Jassam, the political clown.

[@johnnycashofarabiaah-64ade40]

😂😂😂😂😂 this dummy is so contradicted ..

[@brianbozo2447]

He is acknowledging that he interfered in the internal affairs of another country and supported terrorists including possibly Daesh! That should normally get him into trouble within the UN and possible the Hague ICC , no?

[@MEMOsunkissed]

No, it wasn't him personally, but a whole coalition of countries that did that including European countries, the US, and Saudi. They were acting unanimously. It wasn't in a personal capacity, but a coalition of countries. He mentioned that, try not to pick and choose. So to answer your question: no, he is not in any trouble with the UN or the ICC.

[@hmhlc]

How did this man become the foreign minister and prime minister of Qatar and cannot speak a correct sentence in English? The funny thing is that he offered the Syrian democracy, which they never had in Qatar.

[@khaled33633]

Also he is UK resident 😂

[@onereligion4797]

The speaker mission is not to explain every word he is saying, it is to give concept so, people like you never understand what the interview about.

[@amirmohammed6763]

what English has to do with this ? have you ever heard Japanese PM's speech? you barely hear a word does this mean he is not qualified to be PM?

[@Jaidah5]

Khaled Al Baloushi UK resident means he owns property there. What are you trying to say?

[@sweetdream6202]

لاحظت انه يلخبط بين كلمة world و كلمة word 😂😂😂😂😂

[@umerfarooq9097]

They don't know any thing else than using tongue like a bi... And eating daynight enjoying

[@user-so7mt1gu6s]

محاوله فاشله، نواياكم العفنة مؤامراتكم الغادرة انكشفت ووجبت العقوبة

[@sweetdream6202]

Qateri Srounding the amire hhhhhhh the real Qateris run away to GCC 😂😂😂😂😂

[@MEMOsunkissed]

Nah, we're here. go to other GCC countries? come one, we're not suicidal 😂No one leaves Qatar to go to hell

[@MHumran]

foreign minister of banana Country 😂

[@abdullahhakeem760]

This man is a big liar.

[@nasser3bdullah]

الحل عند اسيادك هل العوجا 🇸🇦🇸🇦👌

[@aadobmi9058]

اقول خلك ساكت احسن لك يا ناصر و تلايط

[@Fahad.87]

على زق

[@munifnasser5876]

حليمة بولند

[@The.Real.Jalila]

البارود لا والله ما نعرف قطر ... نعرف جزيرة شرق سلوى .. الدوله المشروميه 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@munifnasser5876]

no0orano فديتك مب محتاجينكم احنا نبي الفكة منكم خلو الجفيري يأم الحرم وحليمة بولند تاخذ خير بلادكم يالمتسعود يالجحلط 😂

[@hermanadnan8603]

long live Qatari!

[@Abdulrahman-tt2sf]

Who's Qatari

[@samyacige572]

Terrorist sympathisers

[@ibrahimkanza4037]

Such a this guys should not be have a face to appear in public. Failed-extremist with suit,tie

[@eissaalali1347]

Not a single true word!! He knows that we know he is lying. 😂😂

[@Markus.9999]

MBS Trump Netenyahu stick together together you are strong 💪 Zionist rule

[@blitzmalcolm]

same thing you trying to do with Syria has been done to you.why are you upset.

[@PamGray1945]

Very intelligent speaker.

[@MEMOsunkissed]

not even close

[@maaaaaajed]

he should either learn proper English or speak in Arabic

[@mori7449]

WHAT ABOUT YOU? HAHAHA SHUT UP THATS ALL

[@ciscoworld322]

speaks better than you . he is not troll like you .Tell your owner Salman to pack up his belongings ,time is up for him .

[@knowitallll]

Islam always going to be the hurdle for peace

[@Moggeh03]

Brother/sister, please go and read about Islam before jumping to conclusion. We muslims are a community of over 1.6 billion. Perhaps, if you update your scholarship on this front, am sure you will then be able to make an informed judgement on this great religion and its devotees. I trust you will humbly take up my challenge. Have a nice day brother/sister. Love for all, hate for no one!!!

[@knowitallll]

@@Moggeh03 I have read the koran it actually has more violent passages than Hitler's mein kemph.

[@Ramiafk]

Are Qataris kidding me? How the hell such a mentality was a PM?!

[@francesy102177]

The reporter is so unprofessional. Didn't address the former Prime Minister more appropriately and referred to him as "Mr"....I understand he wants to press to get more juicy answers, but he almost puts word in the mouth... Who chose this guy to do the in interview? My eyes are rolling now ... Long live Qatar