Qatar and the Palestinian government

Qatar on Wednesday accused the Palestinian government of making provocations and announced its determination to reconsider relations with the Palestinian government following the dispute over the case of Qatari banker Issam Abu Issa.

The spokesman for the Qatari Foreign Ministry, Ali Abdul Aziz al-Kawari, has denounced measures, which he described as provocative, that included cordoning and besieging the office of Qatar's representation office to the Palestinian government in Gaza after Abu Issa had resorted to it in order to protect his life.

Qatar has summoned the chairman of its representation office in Gaza to make consultations and to reevaluate the Qatari-Palestinian relations in light of these developments.

Abu Issa, a Palestinian who carries Qatari citizenship, resorted to the Qatari representation office in Gaza on December 20 after the Palestinian government accused him of stealing sums estimated at US $20 million during his presidency over the International Bank of Palestine, and he denied accusations addressed to him.

On Tuesday, the Qatari daily al-Sharq said that Qatar intends to close its representation office in Gaza.