Blockading Qatar: A timeline

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) QNA

On 24 May 2017 at 12:13am Qatar News Agency (QNA) was hacked and a fabricated news and statement attributed to Emir H H Shiekh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, was posted on the website. Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al Thani, CEO of Qatar Media Corporation, denied the false statement attributed to Emir and published on QNA website by hackers, stressing that the cyber crime was committed by an unknown entity.

Investigations confirmed that the agency was hacked and false statements attributed to Emir. The FBI team investigated the security breach by hackers and further investigation revealed the involvement of UAE. 'The Washington Post revealed the involvement of UAE and senior Emirati officials in the hacking of QNA, Qatar's government communication office said in a statement on Monday (July 17).

June 5
Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt sever ties with Qatar. In response, Qatar says there is 'no justification for the cutting of ties. Four countries also declare flights to and from Qatar will be stopped within a day.

June 7
Kuwait's Emir HH Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah arrives in Qatar. Turkish exporters say they are ready to step in and supply necessary food items for Qatar. The Turkish Parliament passes special law to send troops to Qatar.

June 9
Blockading countries threaten its citizens with dire consequences for expressing sympathy with Qatar on social media.

June 11
Qatar declares it will not expel people from the blockading countries.

June 12
Qatar's Foreign Minister denounces sanctions as 'unfair and 'illegal.

June 13
Qatar says any talks to shut down Al Jazeera will remain off the table.

June 14
Qatar Airways announces that none of its international routes have been affected by the blockade.

June 15
Qatar signs $12bn deal with US for buying F-15 jets. Qatar's NHRC releases shocking report that more than 13,000 Qatari citizens have been affected by the illegal blockade.

June 23
Four blockading nations issue a set of 13 demands.

June 24
Qatar rejects the 13-point demand list terming it 'neither reasonable nor actionable. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson puts his weight behind Qatar's cause, saying the demands on Qatar were very difficult to meet.

June 30
Qatar's Defence Minister HE Khaled Al Attiyah says the illegal blockade on Qatar is a declaration of war.

July 1
Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said in Rome that the list of 13 demands ‘was meant to be rejected.'

July 3
Kuwait seeks an extension of 48 hours for Qatar to respond to Saudi-bloc demands and it is granted.

July 8
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson arrives in Qatar to try to defuse Gulf tensions.

July 9
Qatar decides to form Compensation Claims Committee to seek compensation for damages from the blockade.

July 11
Tillerson arrives in Doha for talks to try and defuse the situation. Qatar signs a landmark deal with the US to combat terrorism.

July 17
The Washington Post breaks the scoop story revealing that the UAE was behind hacking of Qatar News Agency. Egypt ends visa-free entry for Qatari citizens.

July 19
Blockading countries turn their 13 demands to ‘six broad principles'.

July 20
Qatar provides evidence that the QNA website was hacked from the UAE.

July 21
Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani addresses the nation on TV and also issues a decree amending some provisions of a law on ‘combating terrorism.'

July 29
After several Qatari pilgrims face trouble in performing Haj, Qatar accuses Saudi Arabia of politicising the Haj.

July 30
Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Bahrain speak of a possible dialogue with Qatar for the first time, but maintain conditions, in the Manama meeting.

July 31
Qatar lodges a formal complaint with the WTO over the blockade.

August 2
Qatar seals a €5bn deal for navy vessels from Italy.

August 3
Qatar decides to grant permanent residency status to expatriates, subject to them fulfilling some criteria.

August 4
German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said he and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson agree on rejecting the isolation of Qatar under siege for two months.

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