More proof of Qatar’s bad behaviour

To resolve the crisis, the country needs to listen to the grievances of its neighbours

If Qatar wants to avoid the prolonging of this crisis, it has to listen to what the four countries have to say. Saurabh Das / AP Photo

Events in the past few weeks confirm that the current crisis will not end until the Qataris make serious changes to their regional policy. Nothing is mysterious about it, especially as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt have already revealed many reasons why they made the decision to sever ties with Qatar.

Such a decision wasn’t taken lightly. It was made after years of exhausting many other attempts to change the course of Qatar’s problematic policy of simultaneously combating and supporting terrorism. As Dr Sultan Al Jaber, the Minister of State, said: “For 22 years Qatar has adopted policies that undermine regional and global security.” And yet, Doha continues to dismiss its neighbours’ concerns and act like it is the victim in all of this.

Qatar’s meddling in the internal affairs of other GCC countries cannot be tolerated. On Friday, Al Arabiya news network released recordings of four phone calls reported to have taken place between Hassan Ali Mohammed Jumaa Sultan, a Bahraini whose nationality was revoked in 2015, and Hamad bin Khalifa bin Abdullah Al Attiyah, the Qatari emir’s special adviser. The recordings appeared to substantiate claims that in 2011 Qatar sought to undermine the unity of the GCC when Bahrain was rocked by disruption. Whether these recordings are genuine or not is unclear, but they do fit neatly into the pattern of Doha saying one thing in public and doing another in private.

More evidence is expected to come out in the next few weeks, as Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister Adel Al Jubeir remarked on Friday that a list of “grievances” regarding Qatar’s actions was being drawn up and would be made public soon. This list will surely include Doha’s hosting and supporting the 59 individuals and 12 entities named in the recently announced list of terrorism.

The question now is whether Qatar is willing to listen to the Gulf concerns, as Sheikh Sabah Al Khalid Al Sabah, Kuwait’s foreign minister said recently. Will it reverse its long-held foreign policy to re-establish its ties with its neighbours and save itself from a tough economic situation?

If Qatar wants to avoid the prolonging of this crisis, it has to listen to what the four countries have to say and make a serious commitment to change.