Gregg Roman on the Rift between Qatar and the Arab Gulf States

Middle East Forum Director Gregg Roman appeared on i24NEWS English to discuss the recent decision by Saudi Arabia and other Arab Gulf states to cut ties with neighboring Qatar.

Excerpt

Do you think that this will pressure Qatar to join the [Saudi-led] coalition?

I think that [in] the worst case scenario, Qatar will reel back its involvement with other regional actors, by being a center for Islamist financing, by supporting revolts in Libya, Syria, and Lebanon, and Yemen, And also using Al-Jazeera as a media tool against others ...

If the Qataris all of a sudden are feeling the physical pinch in their own territory – they can’t access sea lanes, they can’t access airways, they can’t ship in food from Saudi Arabia – they will have a very hard time not complying with other GCC countries’ demands.

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