Qatar's evasive reconciliation approach

The main bone of contention between Qatar and other Arab states in recent years has been Qatar’s support for the Muslim Brotherhood. 

Additionally, Qatar’s cordial ties with Iran, have also riled the alliance, specifically Saudi Arabia. Yet another source of dispute is the Al Jazeera network, founded by Qatar’s emir Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani in 1996. The Saudi led alliance said that Al Jazeera’s coverage is skewed and it supported Islamist groups.

Yet, the Arab Quartet welcomed Kuwaiti efforts to settle the diplomatic crisis pitting Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain against Qatar, which began in June 2017.

While welcoming the Kuwaiti effort, the four countries stressed the importance of achieving a comprehensive solution that addresses all causes of the years-long dispute, holding firm to previous demands and conditions to resolve the crisis with Qatar.

So far, Doha has attempted to elude efforts to address the root of the problem, insisting it rejects any preconditions and continued to pursue an evasive approach by insisting on rejecting any preconditions for achieving a settlement with the Arab Quartet.

In doing so, Qatar is betting on changing dynamics on the international scene, especially the incoming US administration headed by President-elect Joe Biden.

Observers believe that any reconciliation deal with Qatar will be incomplete if it does not include Egypt. UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash hinted at this when he stressed the significance of Egyptian-Gulf relations.

In the UAE’s first public comment on recent developments, Gargash praised Riyadh’s “good efforts on behalf of the four states,” adding that the UAE looked forward to a “successful” Arab Gulf summit expected to take place this month.

“The UAE appreciates the efforts of brother Kuwait and the US efforts to build solidarity in the Arab Gulf,” Gargash said on Twitter, adding that the UAE affirms that “the relations of the Gulf Cooperation Council with brotherly Egypt are an essential pillar in preserving Arab security and stability in the region.”

In 2017, Saudi Arabia led its allies to cut ties with Qatar because it viewed Doha as being too close to Iran and accused it of funding radical Islamist movements. Qatar has always staunchly denied those allegations.

The Saudi-led quartet subsequently forced out Qataris residing in their countries, closed their airspace to Qatari aircraft and sealed their borders and ports, separating some mixed-nationality families.

After severing ties, the countries issued a list of 13 demands for Qatar, including severing ties with Islamist organizations, steering away from Iran, shutting down its broadcaster Al Jazeera and downgrading relations with Turkey, which has a military base in Qatar.