"The Gulf Cooperation Council supports Qatar against any interference in internal affairs in the face of allegations that do not strengthen diplomatic relations," said the secretary-general of the alliance of states on Saturday. In addition to Qatar, this includes Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Oman.

After Faeser's criticism, Qatar had already summoned the German ambassador. A protest note was handed over to him, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Doha said on Friday. The Foreign Office in Berlin only confirmed that the German ambassador had been invited to the meeting.

As Minister of the Interior, Faeser is also responsible for sport. She wants to visit Qatar on Monday in the run-up to the World Cup. On the two-day trip, she will be accompanied by the government's Human Rights Commissioner, Luise Amtsberg, and a DFB delegation headed by President Bernd Neuendorf. According to the ministry, the focus is on the human rights issues that will be discussed around the tournament, such as the protection of queer people from discrimination and persecution and the responsibility for migrant workers who built the World Cup stadiums.