Furious protesters call for boycott of Qatari-owned hotels over Hamas row
Furious protesters call for boycott of Qatari-owned hotels over Hamas row
Getty Images/GB News
Qatari-owned hotels are set to be boycotted as furious protesters call for members of the public to avoid the establishments.
The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) has called for the boycott of several hotels around the World that are owned by businesses in Qatar because they say leaders should not allow members of Hamas to reside in the country.
The proposed boycott by the non-profit international policy organisation is being put forward by CEP Chief Executive Officer Mark Wallace, former US Ambassador to the UN and CEP President Frances Townsend and includes London hotels The Ritz, The Savoy, The Connaught and The Churchill.
In a statement on its website, the group said they are calling for the “boycott of Qatari-owned hotel properties until Qatar and the Al Thani Royal Family surrender the orchestrators of the savage October 7th massacre in Israel”.
WATCH HERE: Ritz Hotel could face a boycott
In retaliation, Israel launched airstrikes on Gaza which has so far killed 5,087 Palestinians according to the latest toll from the health ministry.
Embassy-like bases were set up in Doha for senior figures in Hamas over a decade ago under the guidance of the US with the aim of facilitating negotiations.
At the weekend Qatar negotiated with Hamas to arrange the release of two US hostages taken during the deadly assault on Israel.
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In a statement on its website, the group said they are calling for the 'boycott of Qatari-owned hotel properties until Qatar and the Al Thani Royal Family surrender the orchestrators of the savage October 7th massacre in Israel'
PA
GB News asked members of the public in London for their thoughts on the CEP’s call to boycott Qatari-owned hotels around the world which brought mixed opinions.
One member of the public said: “Hamas is basically a genocidal terrorist organization, and there's little good that can be said about that.
“So unfortunately, the extraordinary conditions that can exist now on the Israeli-Gaza border have pros and cons for both sides.
“Ultimately the moral authority rests with Israel, which indeed is supported by the rest of the civilized world. So having an office of Hamas in Qatar is completely unacceptable.
Israel attacks: Over 1,000 people have died amid Hamas conflictGETTY“And since the Ritz apparently is owned by Qatari principles, I would certainly support not purchasing or staying at the Ritz in any form.”
Another man said: “People want to protest, make a protest individually on their own.
“They shouldn't be increasing into other people to tell them how to live their lives.
“After all, we're all individuals and it is a free country in the UK.
“So you know keep it yourself if you don't want to go there, don't go there individually but don't input it on to anyone else.”
Member of the public asked about the boycott
GB News
A third person said: “I think that on that level, on the higher, you know, where people have got a bit more money that if you can boycott that at that level, it would help to filter down to help the others.
“I think that the reason we didn't go on holiday this year to Turkey is because they give a lot of money to Russia, which is, you know, then against Ukraine.”
One final passer-by simply said: “As if I could afford to go to the Ritz anyway.”
World leaders including Mr Sunak and Mr Biden have been stepping up diplomatic efforts to prevent the Israel-Gaza war from triggering wider bloodshed across the Middle East.
The Prime Minister and the US president, along with the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Canada, have called for Israel to respect international humanitarian law, demanded the release of the hostages held by Hamas and pushed for aid for Gaza.
GB News has approached the Ritz, Savoy, the Hyatt group and Maybourne Hotel group for comment
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