Israel launches a vicious ad smear campaign against Qatar over the hosting of the 2022 World Cup

The Qatari candidacy to host the 2022 world cup tournament has to face fierce opposition from the Israeli authorities despite the overwhelming support expressed by the members of the International Football Governing Body (FIFA).

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• Israel is leading a smear campaign to prevent the Arab country from hosting, for the first time ever, the most prestigious football competition in the world on an Arab and Islamic soil for obscure reasons.
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• The Israeli authorities have last week seized the opportunity of the visit of a FIFA delegation to Qatar in a bid to supervise the different infrastructures and the latest preparations, to overtly voice against the Qatari candidacy and spoil the long awaited dream of the Arab and Islamic nations to host this tournament.
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•  Several press reports have come to the surface before the visit of the FIFA delegation to this country over hurdles that could undermine the hosting of this competition in Qatar. These unfounded articles slashed at the culture and tradition of the Qatari people putting the focus on the question of Alcohol.
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• Most of the articles issued by the Israeli controlled newspapers have suggested that the Qatari authorities will not allow the other countries’ fans to consume alcohol in public places, tightening thus their individual liberties.
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• But the Qatari’s response to these baseless allegations was immediate announcing that nothing will change and that the fans will be fully satisfied and even find better conditions than they used to in during the previous competitions.
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• The chairman of the Israeli Football Federation had indicated in a declaration that the Israeli fans will be in danger in case of hosting the tournament in Qatar on account of the “ Arab hatred “  to Israel, according to him, noting that he has contacted the Qatari foreign ministry to get guarantees for the Israeli fans but he didn’t receive  an answer.
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• The chairman of the Israeli Federation has indicated that his country’s position concerning the Qatari candidacy will not change whether Israel secures a berth to this competition or not and will vote against, showing thus the real drives of the Israeli authorities are purely political and closely linked to the Arab- Israeli conflict;
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• Being a member at the UEFA Executive Board, the chairman will seize this opportunity to pressure his European opposite numbers to vote against the Qatari candidacy that will compete against 8 others.
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• He openly declared “ We will vote against the hosting of the world cup in Qatar and there are many other federations that will do the same because this competition is for all and nobody can prevent any one from watching it”.
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• It should be noted that the Israeli position will not belittle the Qatari chances to host this competition especially that several former football stars like Zidane and Batistuta have expressed their full support for the organisation of this competition in this country.