Heavily Armored Qatari Military Vehicles Patrol Paris Streets As France Cedes Control of Security For Olympics

French President Emmanuel Macron has ceded control of the security of the nation of France to Qatar for the Olympic Games.

The Qatari security forces arrived today, July 12, in the French capital to participate in securing the Paris 2024 Olympics (July 26-August 11) and Paralympic Games (August 28-September 8).

Qatar, the oil-rich Gulf nation-state that supports Hamas and houses their leaders, has been purchasing vast swathes of France’s high-end real estate portfolio, including top-end educational institutions and the Paris Saint-Germain football club.

Qatari Brigadier General Nawaf Majid Al Ali said that the participation of the forces comes as confirmation of the strength of the relationship between the State of Qatar and the French Republic, especially in the security fields.

What could possibly go wrong with a state sponsor of terrorism policing terrorism?

— Dick Ball (@dickballxy) July 12, 2024

French ambassador Jean-Baptiste Faivre attempted to downplay fears that France has ceded control of its own territory to a foreign military force, explaining that Qatar and France have deepened their strategic partnership with a renewed focus on co-operation, marked by high-level diplomacy and joint efforts to address global challenges.

France and Qatar have sealed a strategic partnership under which Qatar has agreed to channel 10 billion euros ($10.85 billion) into start-ups and investment funds in France between 2024 and 2030, the French presidency said in a statement.