Saudi Arabia and its allies have presented Qatar with a list of 13 wide-ranging demands to meet, as conditions to end a now three-week long blockade against the country.
According to commentator Mohammed Salah, the solution to the Gulf crisis seems far off. “Qatar’s behaviour favours an escalation or further complications, rather than a solution to the crisis,” Salah wrote in the London-based pan-Arab daily Al Hayat.
“Regardless of Doha’s response to these demands, the indications, the discourse, the measures, the reports and the statements made by Qatar’s officials as well as the stances insistently promoted by its media all aim to attack the countries that have cut their ties with it.”
The writer noted that Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and other boycotting countries are not willing compromise on their demands. “They will not see Qatar renege on its pledges made back in 2014.”
He added that Doha is managing its crisis the Muslim Brotherhood’s way. “First comes denial and mobilisation of media outlets to suggest that there is no ongoing crisis".
“Qatar wants to shows that it is well-intentioned and misunderstood, and that the problem lies in the intentions of the boycotting countries,” he said.
The next step, he continued, is "presenting itself as a victim attacked by its neighbours for protecting freedoms and supporting the Arab Spring.”
All things considered, the writer saw Doha as unbending.
“Qatar is drawing power from Iran and Turkey, and it is trying to bring over Kuwait and Oman.”
Salah concluded that Doha is playing for time in the hope that Donald Trump will be succeeded by a more lenient administration. “However, it is unaware that the matter is not in the hands of the Americans alone and that the blockade will only be lifted once new policies are implemented and once new positions are adopted to protect Saudi Arabia and its allies against terrorism.”
Writing in Aletihad, the Abu Dhabi-based Arabic daily, Emirati columnist Abdullah Mohammed Al Shaiba evoked the strong ties shared by GCC countries that have reflected at the social, cultural and economic levels.
But ever since the crisis has broken out between the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt on one side and Qatar on the other, the writer said he has been hearing the same questions among Emirati people.
“People are trying to understand the reasons that have led Qatar to conspire against its brothers, and to sow the seeds of discord and sectarianism among nationals of the Gulf Cooperation Council".
" They wonder why Qatar has left its powers in the hands of terrorists and why it is using the potentials of its people to support terrorism and extremist groups in the Arab world,” observed Al Shaiba .
“Questions are being asked about Doha’s insistence on changing the facts about the severance of diplomatic ties with Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Manama and Cairo".
“Qatar claims that it is besieged; however, in reality, it enjoys complete sovereignty over its air and sea ports and is importing its needs from Iran and Turkey,” he noted.
The writer then questioned the huge media network built by the Qatari regime to spread lies, rumours and fake news in a bid to incite Arabs to turn against their rulers.
He also wondered about the reasons behind Qatar’s self-victimisation and the false accusations made against the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt.
Al Shaiba concluded that Qatar is refusing to listen to the voice of reason and give in to the demands of the other GCC countries for the obvious reason that it continues to support terrorism.
