The Qatari Crisis and the Regional Alliances in the Arab Region

The Arab region is still feeling the aftermath of the Arab Spring, which started in 2011. The Gulf Crisis may have been one manifestation of this, as the severe turmoil in the region has pushed every state towards forming new regional alliances to achieve its goals and maintain its interests. For such purposes, Gulf states have been using all soft and hard powers they have. The UAE and Saudi Arabia have been attempting to rebuild the old regimes, whereas Qatar has sought to support Change initiatives in the region.

Gulf states, namely the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, have considered the waves of change in the Arab world to be a considerable threat to them. Hence, they waged an economic and political warfare against the emerging post-revolutionary regimes to destabilize and topple them. That was one of the most significant causes that lit the fuse of the crisis, since the emerging regimes have started to seek support from Qatar, which chose to follow a different course of action.

This study attempts to investigate the real causes behind the Qatari Diplomatic Crisis, how it impacted the entire Gulf region, and its direct and indirect implications on the Arab states and their regional alliances.