ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Sunday 18 November 2012 4 Muharram 1434 - Volume 17 Number 5522 Price: QR2 Lancer Fortis City crush hits Doha Villa to roads go top Business | 21 Sport | 32 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Kuwait decides PM blasts Arab inaction on Gaza to ratify GCC Arab League backs Egypt bid for truce; Israeli strikes on Gaza destroy Hamas headquarters security CAIRO: Arab ministers gave their says it is seeking a new deal, with President agreement backing yesterday to Egyptian efforts Mohammed Mursi saying yesterday there to secure a truce that would end Israel’s were “some indications” that a ceasefire DOHA: In a dramatic volte-face, offensive on Gaza, they said in a state- could be reached soon but he had no firm Kuwait which had been refus- ment after an Arab League meeting guarantees. Hundreds of protesters gath- ing to be part of a GCC internal in Cairo. ered outside the League building, some security pact on grounds that Arab foreign ministers also agreed chanting for a “bombardment of Tel Aviv”. it infringed on its Constitution, to form a delegation to travel to the At the start of the Arab meeting, sev- has decided to ratify it even as Palestinian enclave in a show of support. eral ministers called for active steps and critics say the pact aims to curb League chief Nabil Elaraby told report- voiced frustration at the failure of Arab freedom of expression and basic ers he would lead the team and that the declarations or initiatives to make any dif- rights of people in the region. trip was expected to take place in “one or ference in the past. Yesterday, Israeli air- A former head of the now- two days”. craft bombed Hamas government buildings dissolved Kuwaiti parliament, Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi in the Palestinian territory, after Israel’s Ahmed Sadoun, has blasted the held talks with the Emir H H Sheikh cabinet authorised the mobilisation of up to draft pact on his Twitter account Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and Turkish 75,000 reservists, preparing for a possible and said it sought to “kill the free- Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on ground invasion. dom of expression and violates the Gaza crisis and a range of issues. The Arab delegation visit to Gaza will individual rights and dignity”. “Today we will issue a statement. What follow trips by Tunisian Foreign Minister The draft pact has six chapters will it mean? It won’t mean anything,” Rafik Abdesslem, who went yesterday, and and 45 articles, and Kuwait had said Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Egyptian Prime Minister Hisham Kandil, been refusing to ratify saying that Minister H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem who travelled on Friday, using his trip to many of its articles ran against bin Jabor Al Thani. “We need to do some- condemn Israeli actions while pledging to its Constitution and threatened thing practical for those suffering, at least work for a truce. the political rights of its citizens, from a humanitarian point of view.” Erdogan has been an outspoken critic a Kuwaiti online newspaper ‘Al “I am not talking about war or mili- of Israel, while the Qatari emir’s visit to Sabr’ reported yesterday. tary action ... I am talking about offering Gaza in October broke the isolation of the But in a surprising change of support to our brothers in Palestine,” the Palestinian group. Both arrived in Egypt heart, Kuwait’s Interior Minister, Prime Minister added. The Emir pledged earlier in the day. Sheikh Ahmed Al Hammood, The Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and Prime Minister and Foreign Minister $400m to help develop Gaza during a visit Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal was also has declared his support for the H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani with Hamas movement’s politburo chief there in October. in Cairo on Saturday to discuss the Gaza pact and said that GCC Interior Ministers meeting at the Cairo-based Khaled Meshaal in Cairo yesterday. crisis, a presidential source said. Ministers had “reasonable basis headquarters had said Arab states had to Meshaal held talks yesterday with and strategic reasons to enhance take practical steps to support Palestinians deterring Hamas. the efforts exerted by Egypt in coordination Egyptian security officials on prospects for cooperation through this pact to in Gaza. In the statement, ministers condemned with the Palestinian state to stop the Israeli a truce, an Egyptian official said. Erdogan, face current challenges in the Israeli air strikes on Gaza killed 14 what they called Israeli “aggression” and offensive on the Gaza Strip and ... reach a whose trip was planned before the Gaza region and ensure stability”. Palestinians yesterday and destroyed also expressed “complete discontent” at truce that would result in an immediate violence surged, praised Egypt’s decision GCC states must find ways to the Hamas government headquarters. the UN Security Council’s failure to bring end to all military actions”. to withdraw its ambassador from Tel Aviv combat threats like terrorism, Israel launched a massive air campaign about a ceasefire. Egypt had brokered an informal truce in in response to Israel’s attacks. REUTERS drug smuggling and other organ- on Wednesday with the declared goal of Ministers said they “decided to support October, which has since collapsed. It now See also page 10 ized crimes as well as cyber and economic crimes that are raising their head in the region, accord- ing to Al Hammood. Article 1 of the draft pact talks of preventing member-GCC states Syria opposition from hosting any outlawed or Dress modestly, QTA urges residents anyone who poses a threat to the bloc to appoint region’s security and from provid- ing weapons or funding to help DOHA: The Qatar Tourism wearing indecent clothing in campaign in line with the Law of traditions and culture by com- trigger violence or corruption. envoy to France Authority (QTA) has asked for- public, and clarified what exactly Ethics. Qatar has rapidly become municating what to wear for both According to Article 2 of the eigners — residents and visitors is deemed inappropriate, said a an important destination on women and men. draft, member GCC countries PARIS: President Francois — to “dress modestly” in public QTA statement yesterday, while the international stage and the “The idea behind it was to help must take measures against Hollande said yesterday that places in line with the country’s announcing its support for the number of visitors has consid- raise awareness of the guide- nationals or expatriates who France, the only Western Law of Ethics. campaign. erably increased over the years. lines to avoid embarrassment for intervene in what are consid- country to officially recognise The QTA has joined a cam- Titled “You are One of Us” the It is thus even more important expats,” said the statement. ered as internal matters of a Syria’s new opposition National paign being waged by a group of campaign urges foreigners to for us to welcome those arriving The group’s rationale was that fellow member-state. No pam- Coalition, planned to let the writers on social networking sites “dress modestly in public places from abroad and share with them “they understood that foreigners phlets or any other printed or group appoint an ambassador calling on all residents and visi- by covering shoulders and knees.” dress code guidelines that will come from a different culture and any other form of propaganda in Paris. tors to understand the country’s QTA said it will post the dress ensure they feel welcome,” said would not necessarily know what material should be allowed in a The post of ambassador to Paris traditions and values and fol- code guidelines on its website and Hana Al Emadi of Qatar Tourism is acceptable in Qatar or the need GCC state that are against Islam is to be filled by Monzir Makhous, low the dress code as defined in include them in future guides and Authority. to comply with etiquette and pub- or Islamic laws or that target the an academic, although it was Qatari law. brochures. Posters will be put up Launched earlier this year, the lic decency,” said the statement security of a member state, says unclear if this would happen before The campaign on Twitter is at shopping malls and other public “One of US” campaign reached quoting Najla Al Mahmoud, who Article 3. the transitional government was based on Article 57 of Qatar’s places highlighting this message. out to visitors and residents initiated the campaign. THE PENINSULA formed. The promise came after Constitution that prohibits “QTA lends it support to this to help them align with local THE PENINSULA Continued on page 6 talks here between Hollande and coalition leader Ahmed Moaz Al Khatib during which the Syrian repeated that his coali- tion would move quickly to build Glitzy opening a broad-based government of Filipina maids’ minimum technocrats to rival the regime of President Bashar Al Assad. to film festival More than 39,000 people have died since a popular uprising BY RAYNALD C RIVERA wage raised to QR1,460 against Assad erupted 20 months ago, according to the Syrian DOHA: DFI-funded Mira DOHA: Buckling under mount- Philippine government. There Observatory for Human Rights. Nair film The Reluctant ing pressure from Manila, must be no reduction from the AFP Fundamentalist opened the Qatari manpower agencies have $400 paid to a Filipina domestic, See also page 11 fourth Doha Tribeca Film decided to raise the minimum he said, adding that a similar wage Festival yesterday.