In an October 31, 2023 article in the Qatari daily Al-Sharq, journalist Rabi'a bin Sabbah Al-Kuwari called to punish the U.S. and Europe for supporting Israel by imposing an oil embargo on them, stating that oil a weapon "more powerful than military weapons." It should be mentioned that, in the same issue, Al-Sharq published an interview with Hamas official Moussa Abu Marzouq, who likewise called to withhold oil from the West. He enjoined the Arabs to "pressure the U.S. and its interests in the region the way [Saudi] King Faisal did in 1973 [i.e., by means of an oil embargo]," and added that "if the U.S. feels that its interests in the region are threatened, it will consider restraining the Israeli enemy."[1]
The following are translated excerpts from Al-Kuwari's article: [2]
Rabi'a bin Sabbah Al-Kuwari with former Qatari emir Hamad bin Khalifa Aal Thani (left) and with former Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim (Images:.Instagram.com/suba7_alkuwari/?img_index=1, February 25, 2020)
The following are translated excerpts from Al-Kuwari's article:
"If the Arab countries stop supplying oil to Europe and the U.S., it may teach the governments and the people of these countries many lessons and cause them to rethink their unreserved support for the Zionist enemy. The martyred Saudi king Faisal [bin Abd Al-Aziz Aal Sa'ud, 1906-1975] used this weapon during the 1973 war, when the world sided with Israel, and it proved to be the best decision [and the best] way to subdue the countries that are hostile to the Palestinian cause at every juncture and in every place.
"When Russia's war with Ukraine broke out, the prices of oil and gas rose, and the Western countries began to suffer an economic downturn. These countries learned their lesson and the true scope [of their influence] in times of crises and wars. The Arabs must [now again] take such a collective decision to punish the West and cause it to recognize the value of human [life], regardless of nationality. On October 16, 1973 OPEC decided to cut oil production and ban the export of crude to the Western countries, especially to the U.S. but also to Holland, which at the time was arming the Zionist entity and allowing the U.S. to use its airports to aid Israel.
"Sadly, the Arab governments are still divided today, and, moreover, normalization with the Zionist entity has become widespread…
"We need a brave decision to formulate a joint Arab policy in order to defend our causes, especially since we have the strongest weapon at our disposal, namely the weapon of oil, which is undoubtedly more powerful than military weapons."
