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 dispute with 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 countries were not willing to compromise on their demands.
“They will not see Qatar renege on its pledges made back in 2014.”
He added that Doha was managing its crisis the Muslim Brotherhood way. “First comes denial and mobilisation of media outlets to suggest that there is no crisis.
“Qatar wants to shows that it has good intentions, that it has been misunderstood and that the problem lies in the intentions to boycott countries,” he said.
Then Qatar is “presenting itself as a victim attacked by its neighbours for protecting its freedom and supporting the Arab Spring”.
All things considered, the writer saw Doha as unwilling to bend. “Qatar is drawing power from Iran and Turkey, and it is trying to bring over Kuwait and Oman.”
Salah concluded that Doha was 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 boycott will only be lifted once new policies are implemented and new positions 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 social, cultural and economic ties shared by GCC countries. But ever since the crisis began, the writer said he had been hearing the same questions among Emirati people.
“People are trying to understand why Qatar conspired against its brothers and sowed the seeds of discord and sectarianism among GCC people.
“They wonder why Qatar has given powers to terrorists and is using the potential of its people to support terrorism 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 seaports and is importing its needs from Iran and Turkey,” he noted.
The writer then questioned the media network built by the Qatari regime to spread lies, rumours and fake news to incite Arabs to turn against their rulers.
He also wondered why Qatar’s was labelling false accusations against the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt.
Al Shaiba concluded that Qatar was refusing to listen to the voice of reason.
Commentator Mohammed Salah wrote in the London-based pan-Arab daily Al Hayat: “Qatar’s behaviour favours an escalation or further complications, rather than a solution to the crisis.”
* Translated by Jennifer Attieh
translation@thenational.ae
