ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Qatar’s GDP Basketball: to grow by up Qatar edge to 7.8 percent Japan in thriller Business | 13 Sport | 21 Friday 26 September 2014 • 2 Dhu’l-Hijja 1435 • Volume 19 Number 6200 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Special taxis Syrian regime should be punished: Emir for women, Sheikh Tamim says Hamas wants peace; stresses need to stop Assad from committing genocide families soon DOHA: The US wanted the moment in our region and we Palestinian resistance move- are going to stay in it for a while DOHA: The Doha-based Profit ment Hamas to take part in (everyone, and not only Qatar)”. Group, which launched its new the Palestinian election some 10 “We believe that we have to yellow-roofed taxis yesterday, years ago. counter terrorism and that is why is planning to introduce special The Emir, H H Sheikh Tamim when our American friends asked taxis for women and families - a bin Hamad Al Thani told CNN if we could join, we did.” first in the country. yesterday that it was his father The Emir said he didn’t agree This is a new concept in Qatar, who was asked by America at the with President Obama’s view that which has already been intro- time if he could talk to Hamas the strikes on Syria were not duced in Dubai and some western and make them take part in the about President Bashar Al Assad countries, P Balasubramaniam, Palestinian poll. at all but about ISIS. Group Director of Profit Holding “We spoke to them. It was my “Honestly, no, I don’t agree. I Group, told this daily yesterday. father who spoke to them and agree that we have to counter ter- “The idea behind this taxi is they (Hamas) said they will,” said rorism, yes. The main cause of all to protect the privacy of women the Emir in his first-ever inter- this is the regime in Syria. “This passengers who don’t want direct view to CNN which was aired late regime should be punished. It is exposure to a male driver,” he last evening. more than three years of war and explained. Hamas, however, asked if the the environment that the Syrian There will be a screen separat- international community would people have been living in, is cre- ing the passenger from the driver. accept them if they fought the ating this violence,” said the Emir. Women will not see the driver, but election. “My father said yes “And we have said this from day they can move the screen, if they because he said he was asked by one that if we don’t stop Bashar wish so because it will be under the Americans for them to join Assad from committing genocide the passenger’s control. (the election).” on his own people this is where, The women passenger is also “The thing is what the differ- unfortunately, we would be.” not required to speak to the ence is between Hamas 10 years “And we are in a situation driver directly. Instead they can ago and now… I believe the dif- A screen grab of the Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani during an interview with CNN’s Christiane now that the Syrian people who communicate through a mike ference is Hamas is more real- Amanpour yesterday. See also page 22 demanded their freedom are installed in the back seat. istic now. They believe in peace between a brutal regime and ter- At the end of the trip, the pas- and they want peace but it is as terrorists. We don’t.” The (Palestinian) people. “At the same Emir. Asked if Qatar can re- rorist organisation.” senger can deposit the money in for the other party to believe Emir said that Qatar tried hard time, though, we believe that the establish relations with Israel, “I think it is the whole thing a tray in front of their seat, which in peace as well and to be more to broker peace between the only way to get out (of this) is to the Emir hinted it is possible as that has to be solved. If we think will be transferred to the driver. realistic,” the Emir told CNN’s Palestine and Israel especially have peace between the Israelis long as they (Tel Aviv) are seri- that we are going to get rid of The driver can return the bal- Christiane Amanpour. after 1991 and 1993 Oslo accord and Palestinians.” ous about peace and protecting terrorist movements and leave ance amount, if any, and issue the The Emir said that Hamas and in its aftermath. “Because we believe in peace the Palestinian people. those regimes doing what they ticket using the same system. is an important part of the Qatar, however, snapped rela- and this is the only way we Asked about the strikes on are doing then terrorist move- The family taxis will also follow Palestinian people. “We have tions with Israel after the Gaza should all work together to put Islamic State (IS), the Emir ments will come back again,” a similar system, he said. some differences with some war a few years ago which claimed pressure on both sides to reach said: “We are doing this because warned the Emir. THE PENINSULA friends as they consider them the lives of many innocent a peaceful solution,” said the we believe this is a dangerous THE PENINSULA Continued on page 3 Hamas, Fatah in unity deal US-led Syria CAIRO: The two main . According to sources in Egypt Palestinian factions, Fatah and close to the talks, Palestinian strikes target Hamas, have reached a “com- Authority security forces would prehensive” agreement that also control the Philadelphia cor- IS oil sites would turn over the civil admin- ridor, an important strip adjoin- istration of Gaza immediately to ing the border with Egypt. DAMASCUS: The United officials of a Palestinian unity Officials from the rival fac- States and its Arab allies government led by President tions began meeting in Cairo on bombed oil facilities operated Mahmoud Abbas. Wednesday to try to overcome by jihadists in Syria to choke off The agreement, negotiated their differences and strengthen their funding, killing more than in Cairo, is designed to ease the their hand for talks with Israel a dozen militants. long blockade of Gaza by Israel scheduled for late next month. France, meanwhile, launched and Egypt and open the way to The breakthrough deal would for- new air strikes yesterday in reconstruction of the war-rav- mally bring an end to Hamas’s seven- neighbouring Iraq and pledged aged coastal territory. A recent year rule of Gaza. Hamas asserted more support for Syrian oppo- Palestinian Authority study esti- its control over the Gaza Strip in sition forces, upping its fight mated the cost of reconstruction 2007 after winning Palestinian leg- against extremists following the in Gaza following the 50-day con- islative elections the year before. beheading of a French hostage. flict with Israel at $7.8bn. “Fatah and Hamas have reached American, Saudi and Emirati Palestinian officials said the a comprehensive agreement for warplanes hit oil installations in agreement would allow the the unity government to return to eastern Syria controlled by the Palestinian Authority to take the Gaza Strip,” said Jibril Rajoub, Islamic State (IS) group, broad- control over the border crossings a senior official in Fatah. ening the campaign they launched of the Gaza Strip, including the THE GUARDIAN this week beyond military targets crucial Rafah crossing into Egypt See also page 8 to economic assets. IS has been using small-scale mobile refineries to generate H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser addressing Heads of State, government and notable dignitaries at the Global Gold glory for Qatar’s shooters up to $2m in revenues per day, Education First Initiative (GEFI) high-level event in New York. AR AL BAKER Washington said. Jihadists seized and set fire to a cement factory in Syria owned Basic education ‘universal responsibility’ by French construction giant Lafarge near the Turkish bor- der, the Syrian Observatory for NEW YORK: Basic education that we will do so in the next 15 until we have these, we will not Human Rights said. is not only the responsibility years. As we look ahead to the meet MDG 2 by 2015, or even by The strikes against the oil of governments but a univer- future development goals, have we 2030. If we fail to educate children refineries killed 14 jihadists but sal responsibility, H H Sheikha really reflected enough on where in conflict zones today, we may also left five civilians dead, includ- Moza bint Nasser has said. we have failed? Until we do, we meet them again later as hope- ing a child, according to the Sheikha Moza was addressing will not reach our goals.” less adherents of violent ideolo- Britain-based monitoring group. Heads of State, Government and Sheikha Moza argued that the gies. As we are learning now, the It said foreigners from Europe, notable dignitaries at the Global steps to universal primary educa- cost of dealing with them later on Arab nations, Chechnya and Education First Initiative (GEFI) tion are clear but only achievable is billions.” Turkey made up the vast major- during the 69th UN General if political leaders see the poten- Sheikha Moza called for the glo- ity of the more than 140 jihad- Assembly. tial in primary education. She bal community to prioritise com- ists killed since the US-led raids The First Lady of the United also asserted that investments in pleting the agenda of universal began in Syria.