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Last update - 11:55 28/05/2008 Qatar PM wins libel suits against columnist who slammed Israel ties By The Associated Press Tags: Qatar, al-Jazeera, Israel Qatar's prime minister has won three libel suits against a Kuwaiti daily and the paper's columnist over a series of editorials criticizing his open policy toward Israel. Sheik Hamad bin Jassem Al Thani, who also serves as Qatar's foreign minister, is known for developing contacts with Israel and seeking a more prominent regional role for Qatar. His lawyer, Hussein al-Gharib, says a Kuwaiti civil court found Al-Watan daily and columnist Fouad al-Hashem guilty of damaging Hamad's reputation. The court ordered them on Monday to pay a total of 9,001 dinars (U.S. $34,094) in damages to the premier. Advertisement Al-Hashem says he respects the ruling but won't stop criticizing the top Qatari official. The columns by al-Hashem criticized Sheik Hamad for his ties to Israel, including claims he is financing the development of an Israeli diabetes drug. Qatar is home to Israel's only diplomatic mission in the Gulf, a trade mission. In January 2007, then Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres visited Qatar and met with its ruler. Al-Hashem said the female anchor's welcome for Peres on Qatar's al-Jazeera satellite news channel was so effusive that one would have thought he was her long-lost husband stranded on an island before a helicopter owned by Sheik Hamad rescued him. "It is difficult to assess the extent of damages," said attorney al-Gharib, when the lawsuit was originally filed. "(Sheik Hamad) is a world-known personality and an international investor. The document describing the lawsuit published in al-Watan said the daily "launched a campaign against the claimant aimed at making his policies look like ... they are based on suspicious political and financial ties with Israel," which is not true. It quoted 10 opinion pieces, the first one published in July 2006. Al-Hashem, the columnist, at the time maintained that what he wrote was criticism of a public personality. "He is a politician and a statesman and it is everybody's right to criticize his political behavior." Related articles: Qatari firm to invest in new W. Bank Palestinian town of 5,000 homes Israel may import Qatari gas Livni to tell Gulf leaders in Qatar: Iran the threat, not Israel Bookmark to del.icio.us   Fight club Jerusalem camera catches brutal attack by Jewish teens on Arab youths. Unbrotherly behavior Rights group: Palestinian governments violate human rights in quest for control.   1.   AL HASHEMI objects to financing development of a diabetes drug 14:54  |  PETER SM 28/05/08   2.   The ruling is wrong. It intends to muzzle critique of politicians 16:08  |  Hamdi 28/05/08   3.   Hating Jews more important than financing diabetes drug? 17:08  |  David 28/05/08   4.   Al Hashemi should be ashamed. 17:10  |  Stephen. 28/05/08

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