Qatar Emir Meets Chief Rabbis in Doha to Receive Condolences on Late Father

In an unusual meeting at the Doha palace, Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani received the Chief Rabbi of Iran, Rabbi Yehuda Gerami, the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Turkey, Rabbi Mendel Hitrik, and his son Rabbi Eliyahu Hitrik, Chabad emissary in Qatar. The rabbis visited to offer condolences on the recent death of the Emir's father, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who passed away about two weeks ago. This visit was part of a delegation from the Union of Rabbis in Islamic States, led by Rabbi Mendel Hitrik.

Following the meeting, the Union issued a statement expressing their condolences to His Highness the Emir, the ruling family, and the people of Qatar. The Union serves Jewish communities across the Muslim world, including those in Qatar through Rabbi Eliyahu Hitrik. The Qatari royal court also released an official statement confirming the Emir received Rabbi Mendel Hitrik and his delegation, who conveyed their sympathies for the late Sheikh Hamad.

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, born in 1952, ruled Qatar for 18 years after deposing his father in 1995 during a vacation in Switzerland. He transferred power to his son Tamim in June 2013. Under his leadership, Qatar transformed from a small emirate into a significant international player, founding the Al Jazeera network and expanding the country's economic and political influence, including acquiring the luxury department store Harrods in London.