Saudi Arabia and Qatar: Tribal Feud with Regional and Global Implications
Emile Nakhleh
On the morning of June 5, Saudi Arabia and four of its regional friends decided to sever diplomatic, economic, and transportation ties with Qatar and its ruler Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Such a feud within the Gulf Cooperation Council—which comprises Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Oman—is not new, especially between Qatar and its most immediate neighbors, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.