When you arrive in Qatar, just after passport control, you have to place your luggage through an X-ray scanner. At first, this may appear strange. After all, why would the authorities need to look into your suitcase after you have already disembarked the plane? After a quick inquiry into the matter, I found the answer: They are looking for alcohol. Under Islamic law, alcoholic beverages are forbidden, and this is strictly enforced in Qatar. Any alcohol found in the scanning process will be disposed of immediately.
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Alcohol will most likely become an issue as the World Cup tournament gets underway this winter in Qatar, in November and December. Alcohol, and especially beer, is an inseparable part of the games for many fans. The Germans and the English tend to arrive at the stadium grounds hours before the start of the game, they drink beer, sing and cheer. They continue this behavior well after the final kick of the game. In fact, many of the fans don't even make it to the stadium but just gather outside, a beer in hand, watching the fight unfold on the big screens.
But none of this will take place in Qatar. Anyone who would try to buy an alcoholic beverage from the concession stands will look in vain. You will not even be able to buy it in the local grocery store or in restaurants. You won't find any cocktail menu or something even remotely similar. The only places where you would be able to quench your thirst for alcohol are select bars in some hotels and at a premium. A shot of whiskey at the Intercontinental Hotel will cost you 28 dollars. Beer will set you back 15 dollars.
The Qatari authorities have recently buckled under heavy pressure and said they would let organizers set up stands for alcoholic drinks within enclosed spaces inside stadiums for ticket-holders who have made it past the gate. They even promised to offer beverages at reasonable prices, but it is almost certain that the supply won't be enough to satisfy the demand. Some have welcomed this prospect: Less alcohol means less violence, they argue. Others are not as thrilled, saying that without alcohol there is little fun to be had.
I asked a European friend who has been living in Doha what foreigners who live in the sheikhdom do if they want to drink. He said there is one shop, in the suburbs, where foreigners are allowed to buy alcohol. It is an enclosed compound that is run in collaboration with Qatar Airways under the name Qatar Distribution Company. To gain entry, you have to get a special identification card with your name, number, and picture; the only people who can get it are diplomats and those who got their bosses' permission. They are allowed to take their alcohol home and consume it there only. Anyone who does not follow those rules risks being sent to prison.
Qatar Airways operates this place because it also serves alcohol on its flights. It's hard to ignore this double standard. In fact, it's also evident in the dress code for women. You can see many women walk with a black hijab, much more than in the United Arab Emirates, which has turned into a favorite getaway destination for Israelis in recent years. Qatar, on the other hand, is much more conservative and religious.
But things change on flights. Many women board the flight with a hijab only to take it off after going to the toilet just before landing, emerging with jeans and a T-shirt. On the way back home they board in jeans and change clothes back to their religious outfits just before landing. Everyone plays this game. It's part of the duplicity that Qatar has always played in its relations with the outside world.
The price of effectiveness
Qatar will draw the world's attention in the coming months. This was the goal it set when it applied to host this tournament: to transform itself from a second-tier oil emirate to the center of the world, its crown jewel. It wants to eclipse its rivals – the UAE and Saudi Arabia – and to show the world (especially Europeans and Americans) that in this new era we live in, Doha is a force to be reckoned with.
The path toward the World Cup was paved with money. A lot has been written on the alleged improprieties that resulted in the desert sheikhdom being awarded this much-coveted tournament's hosting rights, including supposed bribery. To understand just how pervasive the alleged corruption was: no less than 14 were either arrested or have been named a suspect in the alleged misconduct.
Qatar's bid defeated much more appealing options, including the US, Australia, and Japan. When the announcement was made, many eyebrows were raised, in part because it has never been a soccer powerhouse or a tourist hub. Its size meant stadiums will be clustered in one area; it lacked proper infrastructure to accommodate so many spectators, and the debilitating heat has forced FIFA to shift the games to the winter for the first time (because the temperature would drop to the 80s from well over 100). Moving the tournament to November and December will also disrupt various soccer leagues.
But Qatar could not be bothered by such details. As soon as it got the nod from the world's governing soccer body, they homed in on this undertaking. They met and completed all necessary preparations six months before the first match. They finished building the stadiums, apart from various final touches on tiles and wiring, especially the Lusail Stadium where the final will be held. And they also got the infrastructure ready, with Qatar undergoing a makeover to welcome the world, from the airport to the highways to the cities and hotels.
One could have been easily impressed by this Qatari efficiency if this did not come at a bloody cost. According to various investigative reports, some 6500 workers died during the construction.
These tragedies were a consequence of the horrible working conditions, including long hours of work in excessive heat, a lack of safety standards, and the pressure imposed by organizers to speed up the process. A lawyer told the Daily Mail that "the World Cup is blood-stained and if Qatar and FIFA don't account for the deaths of thousands of migrant workers in the Gulf state those dead men will haunt this year's tournament and every one after it." According to information obtained by the Guardian, some 5900 of those who died were from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. The Pakistani Embassy in Doha said that during those years, some 820 of its nationals died. A large number of the deaths were a result of work-related accidents, but also due to heart attacks attributed to the working conditions.
Of course, you won't find any mention of these figures in the local press, which is controlled by the state. As far as the organizers are concerned, everything is and has been perfectly run. They have dismissed the figures published in the West as inflated, expressed regret for the deaths, and said that each case has been properly investigated so that lessons can be drawn. FIFA told the Guardian that "with the very stringent health and safety measures on-site … the frequency of accidents on FIFA World Cup construction sites has been low when compared to other major construction projects around the world." FIFA president Gianni Infantino said that workers would feel proud at being given the chance to construct stadiums.
It's far from certain that workers actually agree with that statement, but they do not have a choice. Qatar is teeming with foreign workers. The prestigious jobs in the big corporations are held by Westerners: Americans, Europeans, and Australians. You can see them at the hotel lobby, or at the high-end restaurants.
Each one of the soccer stadiums is cordoned off and has security 24/7 around it so that no one can trespass. Guards patrol near the gates non-stop and question everyone who approaches, saying the most common refrain you will hear these days in the country: "Not allowed." As far as they are concerned, they are just following orders set by the organizing committee, which wants to avoid unnecessary looky-loos before the party begins.
The World Cup may have shined the light on the foreign workers in Qatar but this problem goes well beyond the sporting events. The number of foreign workers in the sheikhdom is, according to various estimates, greater than two million, most of whom come from the east. In recent years, a growing proportion has come from east Africa as well. They are mainly found in low-tech jobs. You won't find a local in the grocery store, at Starbucks or in the hotel maintenance crew; the local Qataris are the managers. Among the 2.7 million residents, only 350,000 are citizens. The rest are there on a workers permit which you can get only if a local citizen offers to sponsor you. Practically every Qatari employs a foreigner as a nanny, a driver, or a landscaper.
Shopping at a local supermarket in Qatar is very different than in Israel. Every shopper gets at least two customer service agents who help carry the groceries. They are efficient and courteous and are keen to help, from weighting produce to the packaging; they will gladly take your bags to the car as soon as you are ready, with a smile on their face.
A foreign worker costs about 1,000 rials per month (about $275). The worker gets lodging, transportation, a day off once a week, and a flight home once every two years. The workers send most of their salary to their families back home; they won't be able to afford the luxury restaurants in Qatar anyways.
Even the flight attendants at Qatar Airways are foreigners. They live in a massive complex run by the company in the Doha suburbs. The ground and air crews, the thousands of auxiliary staff, go from this place to work and then back. They have very little time and money for something other than work.
The standards are sky high, and the results are obvious: The Qatari national airline has been declared the best carrier in the world year after, and it has offered great service to its customers, from the check-in phase to the flight itself.
The many Israelis who plan to go to Qatar for the games will do so with Qatar Airways. The games are a great growth engine that will let it become a global leader. The safety videos before liftoff are led by soccer stars, including Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski and the retired Brazilian star Cafu. Even the in-flight brochures are replete with World Cup references and promotional content for deals in Qatar's hotels and attractions (Assuming you got tickets).
In the Qatari vision, the World Cup is supposed to turn Doha into a major city on the world stage by making it a tourist magnet and a crucial business capital between the east and west. Qatar Airways is supposed to be the engine that leads this effort, and as such, it has cast itself as a major player: through its money, its prestige, and a new fleet of planes.
This is also true for the country as a whole. It no longer keeps a low profile or acts behind the scenes. It has ditched this approach and now stands tall – and wants to be recognized for what it is. Qatar seeks to present itself to the world as a new country. It will be a real challenge, and not just because of the criticism over the stadiums' working standards but also because of the conditions that the game will be held in. The biggest challenge will be to bridge the gap between the conservative Qatari state and the liberal carnival that will descend on the nation.
As of late May, Qatar has yet to embrace this shift. Although the World Cup is very much present in the public institutions, it is absent from daily life. There are only a few ads and even less merchandise. In sporting stores you can buy the official soccer balls, but not much more. The traditional souvenirs – the scarves, bags, shirts and hats – are nowhere to be seen, for now. Not even in the local market.
This gives the tourists only one option: to take a picture near the red clock that counts down the days, hours, minutes, and seconds until the games begin. This clock is on the Doha Bay and it stands opposite the royal palace. On the other side, you can see the skyline of the city. To get there you have to pass along the row of the participating countries. A guard (a foreigner of course) stands at the entrance, preventing anyone from approaching the clock with the phrase, "Not Allowed."
The Game of Money
Five of the eight stadiums hosting the games are in Doha. Three are outside the city, but only a short ride away. The length between the northern-most and southern-most stadium is shorter than 70 km (43 miles). In that regard, the Qatar games are unprecedented. Usually, the stadiums are spread out in various cities in the host country. When it comes to large countries such as Russia and the US, or in the joint hosting such as Japan and South Korea, sometimes you need to fly from city to city. When it comes to small countries, you just need to take a several hour-long ride between the cities.
But in Doha and Qatar, the distance between the stadiums is very short. On my visit there, I could visit no less than seven stadiums in one day, without much difficulty. I could have visited all eight had I really wanted to. Transportation is very easy on these wide roads and they are easily accessed, allowing the average spectator to see two or even three matches a day, essentially hopping from one stadium to the next.
While this could be seen as a good thing, in practice this is very problematic. Spreading out of stadiums means that more people can get to see more games. Thus, having them clustered together means that fewer spectators would get to enter and this will be only a rich person's privilege. European soccer is already becoming an exclusive pastime for the rich. Match tickets for England and Spain have been skyrocketing, and if you want to get a seat at one of the elimination stages in the Champions League you will have virtually zero chance unless you are rich: you need to spend at least several thousand euros.
This will most likely get worse in light of Qatar's decision to allow entry only to those who can show proof of having bought a ticket to a game. This could sound like a great idea by potentially reducing scalpers, but this will most definitely taint the atmosphere of the World Cup. If most of the spectators are those who are well off rather than organic supporters of their national teams, this will undermine the whole spirit of the event.
Another condition the Qatari authorities have set is that tourists must present a valid hotel reservation. This is not an easy feat and may be as difficult as buying tickets for the games (more than 25 million people have applied to buy tickets on the FIFA website and only a handful could actually make a transaction after a several-hour delay). Qatar has worked tirelessly to build more hotels but there is going to be a shortage of rooms during the games. The organizers have explored several options, from leasing cruise ships and asking neighboring countries (including Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates) to take some of the visitors.
It is also unclear how the coronavirus pandemic might affect the games. Qatar allows entry for those who have been double vaccinated and they still must undergo a PCR test run by the government. Those who test negative get a barcode that prompts a green light when scanned. This barcode lets you into practically every public venue, even malls, and hotels. Masks are no longer required in outdoor spaces.
Those who want to game the system should think twice. Qatar lacks any sense of humor in that regard, as you would expect from non-democratic countries, especially when there is a religious component involved. But there is also a big advantage: Qatar is very safe. There is virtually no violent crime. Those who carry out offenses are immediately sent to a detention center and brought before a judge the next morning.
A friend of mine shared with me a story that had left him stunned. During his first summer in the country, while visiting the mall, he parked in an underground garage. When he got out he saw many parked cars had been left with the engine running, the air conditioning on, and no one inside. This was designed to let the shoppers return to a cool car upon completing their errands, but of course, this is only possible because the cost of fuel is incredibly low in the country. After all, it has one of the largest reserves of fossil fields. This is also clearly demonstrated by the massive gas guzzlers on the roads.
But despite low cost of gas, you wouldn't want to rent a car in Qatar, because it is simply unnecessary. Cabs are easily available and they cost about the same as in Israel. Doha has a very advanced metro system and one of the lines arrives at the stadium where the final will be held. Anyone who drives a vehicle there will have a nightmare finding parking and will be subject to stringent enforcement. The roads are all monitored by CCTV to catch speed violations and those who run red lights. The fines could reach 6,000 rials ($1600). Those who don't pay will have to spend a night in jail and then go on trial, only to eventually be forced to pay. If you do end up renting a car, you should use the Waze GPS-navigation app.
You can also hire a driver for several days, assuming there is still someone left who has not been hired for this period. Practically all hotel rooms and dinner tables at restaurants are fully booked. Those who have managed to buy tickets for the games should start buying airline tickets. There are a lot of options for arriving for Israelis, with stopovers including Istanbul, Larnaka, Amman, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Fish from Oman, cabbage from Iran
As Israel Hayom reported, Israel has approached the Qatari authorities in order to get a green light for direct flights between Tel Aviv and Doha just for the duration of the games. Apart from the welcome normalization process this could result in, this will come with added benefits such as lower airfare and greater security. The Israel Security Agency has already said that it would be able to provide the necessary security for such a route and that it was in favor of finalizing it.
Establishing such a route will help resolve many issues that could come up for Israelis who enter with an Israeli passport. It is unclear how Israelis are going to be allowed in, as the two countries have no official ties, but Qatar said it will not create problems. It remains to be seen if showing up with a valid ticket to a match would suffice or whether Israelis will have to fill out a special visa form. Of course, some hostile elements are still trying to derail this effort, most notably a former Arab MK who fled to Qatar after being accused of espionage. But senior Israeli officials said that they believe the issue will ultimately be resolved.
Notwithstanding this optimistic outlook, with no diplomatic relations, things are going to be rather complicated for many Israelis. What will an Israeli who has lost a passport do? Who is going to issue him a new one? What about cellular phones? Will Israeli numbers be allowed to use the communication grid?
Of course, there are always workarounds. You can buy local sim cards, but anyone who wants to use WhatsApp for calls will see that these options are blocked because the authorities are worried such forms of communication will be used for crime or terrorism. However, there are other workarounds through various third-party apps online, and foreigners use them all the time to call home.
The opening match will be held at the Al Bayt Stadium, some 25 miles from Doha, in the city of Al Khor. It can seat 60,000 people and looks like a giant Bedouin tent. All the stadiums have drawn inspiration from the local elements: from the keffiyeh to the country code, 974.
Al Khor is a sleepy town on the coast. A friend of mine told me I should eat at the Pearl of Beirut, whose specialty is fish. It was previously owned by Lebanese and was aptly named Beirut, but today its owners are Filipino even though they maintain the original character of the place (with a few more rice dishes). Because of a law that requires all establishments to have a Qatari as a majority stakeholder, they also have a local as a partner in their business.
The restaurant has very inexpensive dishes and the fish is excellent, as is the service. It will likely stay this way during the tournament. A local told me that "they will adjust" to the tourists' palate, although this sounds fishy to me and I hope they won't raise prices.
Qatar has a lot to offer in its culinary scene, and this extends to a whole host of cuisines and at every price range. In the Doha market you can find fine Iranian food at the Parisa restaurant (owned by the emir's family), and common Syrian street food (and even a Yemenite restaurant called Bandar Aden, with heavenly pita bread).
Another high-end place in the capital that has become replete with restaurants is Qatara. Apart from the tourist attractions such as an open arena for shows, golf carts, and audiovisual water fountain shows, it has a local chapter of Galeries Lafayette. It has a whole host of easting places, including the L'Wzaar sea food market. I sat next to an Algerian soccer legend, Rabah Madjer, who played for Porto and scored the equalizer goal in the final of the European Cup against Bayern Munich, ultimately helping it defeat the German team in 1987. Turns out he lives in Algeria, Portugal and Qatar, where his son plays.
Those who want to buy food at the local supermarket, like backpackerד, will discover very low prices and a great many options. You can find products from all over the world, and especially from the region: The fish from Oman and Sri Lanka; the olives from Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan; and the cabbage, kiwi, and dates from Iran. The garlic, like in Israel, is imported from China. Each product has its country of origin labeled.
Those who plan to go sightseeing during the games would be disappointed. Apart from desert getaways that combine camels, jeeps and dunes, there is not much you can do in Doha. You won't see international performers or any form of music shows apart from Arab music. The prominent museums are the Museum of Islamic Art and the National Museum of Qatar, whose architecture is jaw-dropping. Apart from that, you can go shopping in a whole host of malls, including the Mall of Qatar, which used to be the largest in the world until recently.
Just outside the capital, you will see the Pearl-Qatar, an artificial island that combines housing, hotels, shopping, and restaurants. This is for the rich, but not just the local rich, replete with gated communities.
The main attraction for tourists is the local open-air market, Souk Wakif, but it only has a few stands. Most of the retailers are in actual shops. It is open from the late noon hours until 10 p.m. although this could change during the games. Like other such markets, it is divided into dedicated sections: spices, textiles, grains, candy, gold, and of course, food.
The most impressive part is the Falcon Souk, quite a large area where you can find buy yourself a falcon, from 2,000 rial (about $550) to 20,000 rial (About $5500), and even several times that number if you want an exotic bird. There are also shops where you can buy food for those animals and even a clinic to treat them that's open 24/7. Hunting with falcons is a favorite pastime for the locals, especially the super-rich.
You can pay with a credit card practically anywhere in Qatar, as well as with apps. You can also use cash and can also haggle a bit in the market. Exchanging money is only allowed in licensed areas, and only after providing your ID. Tourists have to show their passports, as well as list the hotel they are staying at.
Lusail is a city that was built just because of the games. The stadium is surrounded by new residential neighborhoods and skyscrapers. The country hopes the games will make this city a new magnate for business. This is no easy feat, because of Qatar's tendency to look inward and the tough competition in the Gulf, especially from Dubai.
Building sporting venues in order to fulfill a specific goal is not new for Qatar. They did the same thing when they hosted the world championship for handball in 2015. Some of the venues they built then are now white elephants in the middle of the desert.
It's unclear what will happen with the new stadiums from this upcoming World Cup. The local league is very popular but doesn't need such high-end venues or such high-capacity stadiums. The most popular local squad, Al Sadd SC, has its own stadium, whose construction was inspired by Manchester United's Old Trafford.
The most interesting stadium built for the event is 974, the country code. It was built using parts of shipping containers, as an homage to Qatar's rich history as a maritime trade hub. After the games, it will be deconstructed the shipped to Africa, where it will be rebuilt as a gift.
A global wheeler and dealer
Qatar wants to use the games to showcase its pretty side, and it's likely to succeed. Anyone who manages to get a ticket and enter the country will enjoy unmatched hospitality, primarily because of foreign workers, most of whom are highly proficient in English.
The locals, on the other hand, speak mainly Arabic. The signage is in both languages. Unlike some of their neighbors, the Qataris don't go overboard in their efforts to Westernize. They keep their traditions and religious customs and hold on to their national pride. After barely avoiding catastrophe from the 2017 embargo imposed by neighboring Gulf states because it was sponsoring terrorism, they now feel that they are on a roll, and rightly so.
When they were embargoed, they were teetering on collapse. This prompted the Qatari authorities to start developing industries that have generally relied on imports. One of them is agriculture. Until 2017, only three percent of the food consumption was domestically produced, but today this stands at 20% and beyond.
At the height of this boycott, Qatar flew 4,000 cows from Australia in order to set up a dairy farm. Those who enter a supermarket in Doha these days will be able to find its milk products and the ones from other local farms. The effects of that boycott still linger today, as you can find products from Iran and Turkey – its allies during those days – instead of what has traditionally been imported from Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.
In that sense, there is a great opportunity for Israeli companies to make inroads in Qatar. Quite a few companies – particularly in the tech and agriculture sectors – are already doing business in Qatar. The World Cup will undoubtedly be a catalyst for more to come. But all this will have to be under the radar, as the rulers have long insisted they will not join the Abraham Accords and establish ties with Israel.
This is also why no official Qatari entity would speak to an Israeli paper. Perhaps this will all change, albeit temporarily, during the World Cup. Qatar likely prefers to keep this duplicity – being on good terms with Israel, but also with Iran and other nations. This policy, led by its ruler, is what has allowed Qatar to get along with the US even as it has good relations with the Taliban, and with Saudi Arabia and ISIS. It has it both ways.
Over the next few months, Qatar will try to be an influential player, especially on the pitch. It has all the qualifications to do so, despite coming under heavy criticism. In a country where there is no shortage of money, the World Cup is going to be like nothing we have seen before. Israelis who manage to take part in this will experience something unique: A different kind of Muslim country, a confident one, which will be the center of the universe for one month.
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