This is how Panzeri praised Qatar

“The “passe-partout” label of terrorism has often been applied – again: with less or more justification or plausibility – not only to individuals but to entire countries, sometimes to justify their invasion or the overthrow of regimes. Here recent history brings to mind the case of Afghanistan or Libya or the long-standing tense confrontation between the United States and Iran.

Perhaps less known is the case of Qatar, against which some of the other countries bordering the Persian Gulf, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, together with Egypt, had launched a political and economic boycott in 2017. Even in that case the charge had been of “supporting terrorism”. Accusation also extended to "Al-Jazeera", a Qatari broadcaster that is widespread and followed in the Arab world.

In this case, perhaps more than in others, it is evident how the reference to terrorism becomes instrumental in a confrontation of power and leadership in the delicate and strategic area, central to the extraction and production of oil and gas.

If we wanted to depict those countries and the major players as the same body, given their physical and geographical contiguity and similar historical processes, it would be easier to identify the head in the Emirates, the torso in Saudi Arabia and the legs in Qatar. From the perspective of human rights, analyzing the socio-political dynamics and the choices of the respective governments in recent years, it can be observed that it was the legs that imparted a movement and an evolutionary direction, while both the torso and the head remained motionless and if anything, turn around.

Biden's election as US president and his policy aimed at redefining relations in the Gulf, especially with Iran, led Saudi Arabia itself to reinclude Qatar in the Gulf Cooperation Council, perhaps even "repentant" from the diplomatic rupture that it itself set up towards this country, towards which only a few years ago it had directed a large cahiers de Doléancese of pressures which, in turn, given its non-submission, had determined the heavy sanctions that hit the supplies even of basic necessities but which have not subdued the country, increasingly intolerant of the hegemonic attempts of the Saudi and Emirati rulers and in search of a new role and strong global alliances. Like the one with Joe Biden's United States, after the marginalization brought about by the strategic choices of his predecessor. Indeed, Trump had expressed preferential support for the Saudis and Emiratis in the framework of the Abrahamic Pact with Israel, which he himself promoted. With the Gulf countries there are very strong financial, energy and arms export interests: globally, if the United States is the first arms exporter,

Now, after the meeting with the Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani on January 31st, Biden has been clear in recognizing the strategic partnership between the United States and Qatar and in wanting to designate it as a major non-NATO ally. Of course, even this important political and diplomatic step which could change the scenarios in the Gulf and, in them, the weight of Qatar, was sealed and made possible above all by economic interests: specifically, the signing of a 20 billion dollar agreement between Boeing and Qatar Airways Group (see White House statement ).

Together, the fundamental support provided by Qatar to the solution of the long Afghan war certainly contributed, facilitating dialogue and the Doha agreement with the Taliban in February 2020 and, finally, with the logistical support for the withdrawal of US troops in the summer of 2021. Last but not least, gas diplomacy has had an influence, with Qatar's availability towards Europe in the current crisis of Russian gas supplies and in the slippery situation evolving in Ukraine.

In terms of human and social rights in Qatar some progress has been made, for example regarding the semi-slavery system of the kafala – now abolished in Qatar and instead only mitigated in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Oman -, and it is underway, while in rival countries one can, if anything, speak of "human rights-washing", of an embellishment of the image which is not adequately matched by substantial changes.

Even the issue denounced by the British newspaper " The Guardian ", regarding the number of workers who died during the construction of the infrastructures that will host the 2022 World Cup must be viewed against the light and statistically relativized, even if it must be clear that every victim at work it's a tragedy, everything must be done to prevent and avoid every single death. Perhaps the appointment as Minister of Labor of the President of the National Commission for Human Rights of Qatar could represent a novelty in this regard.

Naturally, also in Qatar the process of asserting rights is still ongoing and must be followed and strengthened, with regard to women, immigrant workers (who are 90% of the entire workforce), minorities. But, in fact, "the legs" are perhaps moving in the right direction and can help to be a reference and solicitation also for neighboring countries, transforming the competition, sometimes harsh, into a positive and virtuous path. For all this, it will be necessary to have a great awareness that the path to strengthen human rights must be without return and not conditioned by changes in the geopolitical framework of the region".