UAE hostility to Turkey and Qatar unveiled by leaked emails of UAE ambassador to US

“We don’t want Turkey or Qatar to be able to shape a dinner menu much less a country,” Otaiba reportedly told a New York Times columnist.

Otaiba’s emails were hacked and released in part in June since then several revealing stories about the UAE’s covert operations have emerged.

The hackers, who go by the name “Global Leaks”, claim the full database shows a clear picture of the UAE’s lobbying arm and its detrimental effects on US interests abroad.

Two months ago, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE and Egypt cut ties with Qatar accusing it of backing extremism and fostering ties with their rival Iran, and enforced a blockade on Doha.

Qatar categorically denies the claims and has been strongly backed by Ankara throughout the standoff.

Last month, Turkish daily Yeni Safak hinted that the UAE had provided $3 billion to fund the 2016 failed coup attempt.

The London-based Middle East Eye this week accused the UAE of collaborating with the coup plotters to oust President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his conservative Justice and Development Party.

Otaiba has claimed that the Saudi-led bloc blockading Qatar are pushing for a “more secular” Middle East.

However, leaked emails last week revealed that the UAE lobbied US officials to be able to host an office for the Taliban.

Abu Dhabi has often cited the 2013 opening of a Taliban embassy in Doha as an example of Qatar abetting Islamist militants.

Other recently leaked correspondences have shown that the UAE has been undermining the US’ peace efforts in Yemen and Libya.

Qatar has accused the UAE of hacking its state news agency in May to plant a false story that was used as a pretext for the ongoing Gulf crisis.

(Source: The New Arab)