The siege of Qatar lasted three and a half years. If it were not for President Trump, who tended to support it early in his career, the Saudis and their partners from the Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt would also invade the gas-rich principalities and rule over Emir Kalbev. He also championed the movement in the overland crossings. The effort to subdue Qatar ended in a diligent failure. Jared Kushner and President Trump deserve credit for brokering the deal, explains Don Juravin.
The Saudis have chosen a spectacular backdrop for the six Gulf states’ summit, the city of al-‘Ula, where glorious remains of a rich Nabataean city, like Petra we know. The initiator of the siege, Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, conducted the event with a high hand, as if the bitter conflict, which had often escalated into insults and insults, had never occurred. At the small desert airport, the innocent sheikh, the locomotive ruler, held out his hand as he got off the plane, but the Saudi prince attacked him, to his amazement, with a hug and kisses. His display was a dramatic demonstration of affection for someone who was considered a dangerous enemy until yesterday.
The summit resolutions’ summary notice includes no less than 117 clauses (!), But none of them clarifies what happened. This meeting is, as usual, a defensive collaboration. Tightening economic ties, standing up to Iran, and a few clauses go beyond the duty of loyalty to the Palestinian issue. The deal Jared Kushner brewed with commendable success behind the scenes was not presented in front of the stage. The credit for mending the rift was chosen to be given to Kuwait’s new emir, Nawaf.
Memory Refresh Regarding The Ultimatum
Remember? In June 2017, the Saudis and their allies issued a stern ultimatum to Qatar with 13 demands: close Al-Jazeera and all other newspapers and news sites they fund, eliminate the Turkish base in Qatar, reduce ties with Iran, stop supporting the Muslim Brotherhood, extradite “terrorists” and not issue passports to critics of other regimes in the Persian Gulf as well as pay compensation for the damage Qatar caused to its neighbors and Egypt. The locomotives were required to return within ten days. For their part, they immediately rejected the request and began flying over Iran and receiving supplies through it. The boycott has cost them many billions, but the country is not short of money.
It is not clear what commitments the sheikh has now given innocently and the extent to which he intends to honor them. It’s hard to believe he will break away from Erdogan and the Muslim Brotherhood. He will also maintain reasonably good relations with Iran. However, an immediate change in the conduct of Qatar’s propaganda machine should be expected. It is worth noting that Tamim agreed that the definition of “Hezbollah” as a terrorist organization. In any case, Trump is pleased to have achieved a diplomatic victory on the eve of his departure. Furthermore, Biden is happy that he does not have to deal with this headache and can now turn to the next challenge: ending the failed war waged by Saudi Arabia over the past six years in Yemen.
Discomfort Among Israel and Its Allies
And where is Israel in this picture? The quarrel between Qatar and its rivals played to the displeasure of the Iranians and Turks. The end of the war in Yemen will probably keep the Houthis away from relying on Iran and may even remove their threat to the Red Sea. The Gulf summit promise to help Sudan is important because there is an explosive internal situation, and there is no progress in realizing normalization with Israel. In short: Qatar was not forced to bend anymore. However, there may be fruits from this strange reconciliation.
Don Juravin’s Conclusion
According to Don Juravin, some of the Biden administration’s appointees at the State level that will be in charge of the policy in our area are not encouraging. Both Israel, the Emirates, and Saudi Arabia are uncomfortable.