In recent days, Qatar’s Al‑Araby Al‑Jadeed has published reports by Nasser al‑Sahli, a Palestinian journalist who works for the newspaper and website in Europe and has now been deployed to Greenland. Al‑Sahli has conveyed the voices of locals — whose number stands at roughly 57,000 — who have repeatedly stressed that their land is not for sale. In one article, he wrote that it was not easy to convince people to speak on camera and noted that some expressed anger “at the media attention.”
In his weekend column, al‑Sahli wrote: “The problem is not Greenland itself, but what remains of the international order. The European Union and NATO are not defending this island, but rather themselves and the remnants of the legitimacy of international law, which are openly trampled by an American president who has turned the notion of ‘America First’ into a license for coercion and a hegemonic project where sovereignty is measured by a balance of power, and not by law.”
'Why is the Arab world suddenly obsessed with Greenland?' Lior Ben Ari breaks it down
(Video: Yaron Brenner)
Al‑Araby Al‑Jadeed is not the only Qatari news outlet to send a reporter to the island. Al‑Jazeera deployed Mohammed al‑Madhoon, a journalist who has recently reported mainly from London but in recent weeks has been reporting from the snow, donning a wool hat and scarf in temperatures around zero. The Qatari channel has also published numerous stories in recent days providing background on the island and examining why the major powers are competing to expand their influence there.
Among those following al‑Madhoon in Greenland is the Lebanese newspaper Al‑Akhbar, associated with Hezbollah. A few days ago the paper published a short piece online titled “Arab media have discovered the island of Greenland.” The article explained that since Trump declared his desire to purchase the island, international outlets and Gulf states have rushed to strengthen their presence on the ground. It claimed that the island, previously absent from news coverage, now dominates news bulletins and reports that emphasize its strategic importance. The newspaper added: “Arab television channels have launched into a feverish race to cover the story and have recruited journalists, especially Al‑Jazeera, which began broadcasting intense daily reports on Greenland through correspondent Mohammed al‑Madhoon. Al‑Madhoon goes on live broadcasts and introduces viewers to the island, which has become a rich source for the global press.”
Saudi Al‑Arabiya has also devoted considerable attention to the island. Salam Kiaali, the channel’s correspondent in Europe, was also sent to Greenland. On his and the channel’s X account, numerous reports from the island can be found showing him bundled up with a wool hat, scarf and neck warmer. In one report, he could not hold back tears as cold wind stung his face. In a recent Al‑Arabiya report on the island, the presenter sought to explain the longstanding American interest in the location: “When we talk about Greenland, we are not talking about an ordinary island. We are talking about the largest island on Earth, an island that holds rare natural treasures and resources of billions of years, above and below the surface. Greenland also has strategic geopolitical importance.”
Trump in Davos
(Video: Reuters)
Arab interest in the island is, of course, linked to Trump’s involvement. The Arab world is drawing conclusions from his conduct there, including about his broader goals in the Middle East. This is not the first time Trump has spoken about purchasing Greenland. The issue has followed him since 2019, during his first term. In early 2025, when the topic resurfaced in the headlines (long before his recent statements), Arab channels had already begun publishing explanatory articles about the island. Al‑Mayadeen, a Lebanese channel associated with the Hezbollah organization, has also been covering the Greenland question since last year, publishing numerous pieces explaining the island and now reporting on current developments.
Some Arab media outlets have even framed Greenland alongside the Gaza Strip, portraying both within the same narrative of American encroachment and expansion of U.S. influence. Channels have made comparisons between Trump’s approach to the island and his attitude toward Gaza, which he once described in planning terms as a “riviera.” As early as February 2025, an article was published on Sky News Arabia under the headline: “From Gaza to Greenland: Trump’s land‑buying policy sparks controversy.”