DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – Incendiary statements about Iran and Israel posted on Qatar’s state-run news agency that authorities blamed on hackers sparked a regional dispute Wednesday, with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia blocking Qatari media including Al-Jazeera.
The alleged hack and purported fake news exposed real tensions still lingering in the Gulf between Qatar and other nations over the small gas-rich country’s support of Islamist groups.
While Qatar quickly denied the comments attributed to ruling emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Saudi-owned satellite channels repeatedly aired them throughout the day Wednesday. The incident revived suspicions that exploded into the open three years when several Gulf nations pulled their ambassadors from Qatar over similar worries about its politics.
The alleged hack happened early on Wednesday morning and hours later, the website of the Qatar News Agency still was not accessible.
The fake article quoted Sheikh Tamim as calling Iran an “Islamic power” and saying Qatar’s relations with Israel were “good” during a military ceremony.