Is Sudan Joining the Anti-Qatar Bloc?

by Giorgio Cafiero Recent clashes between security forces and protestors are destabilizing Sudan two months after ex-president Omar Hassan al-Bashir’s removal from power. Sudan’s transition, which a host of outside actors are working to influence, is not going smoothly. The… Continue Reading

Qatar Repels Saudi-Led Blockade

by Emile Nakhleh Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, not surprisingly, skipped the Gulf Cooperation Council [GCC] annual summit, which was held in Saudi Arabia on December 9, 2019. Despite the Saudi king’s personal invitation to the Qatari ruler… Continue Reading

Israeli Fear of Qatari Outreach to US Jews

by Mitchell Plitnick On January 31, the Israeli embassy in the United States stated that Israel did not approve of several right wing, pro-Israel American Jewish leaders meeting with senior officials, including the emir, of Qatar. “We oppose this outreach… Continue Reading

The Institutionalization of the GCC Conflict

by Giorgio Cafiero Five months into the Qatar crisis, the future outlook for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as an institution of six Arabian countries is gloomy. In light of expectations that the Council will postpone its annual summit— scheduled… Continue Reading

How the GCC Blockade Reignited Qatar’s Nationalism

by Nicolai Due-Gundersen On July 21, 2017, Qatar’s emir gave his first address since the start of a two-month blockade launched by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt. “The time has come for us to spare the… Continue Reading