The rule is being considered to prevent ex-pats from ever being able to claim Qatari citizenship. There are sizable populations of Palestinians, Iranians, Pakistanis and others who were born and grew up in this country and in some cases have to go back to their grandparents before they can ever claim a tie to the country of their ancestry. In some cases, these people have no nationality or no ability or right to return to their homeland (such at Turkish Kurds and Armenians, or Palestinians from what is now Israel proper.

There is a "risk" that UN conventions on refugees would someday require Qatar to grant such people citizenship. By forcing these people to "move along" and not put down long-term roots in Qatar, the Qatar government is making these people someone else's problem.

He may be a Muslim brother, but he isn't family!