Qatar-Gulf: crisis and South Asia

Abstract

"Qatar is a sovereign country located in Western Asia, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its territory surrounded by the Persian Gulf. An arm of the Persian Gulf separates Qatar from the nearby island country of Bahrain. The 2017 Qatar diplomatic crisis occurred as a result of several countries abruptly cutting off diplomatic relations with Qatar. These countries included Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt. The severing of relations included withdrawing ambassadors, and imposing trade and travel bans. Saudi Arabia and other countries have criticized Al Jazeera and Qatar's relations with Iran, and accused Qatar of funding terrorist organizations. Qatar denied that it supports terrorism, given that it has assisted the United States in the War on Terror and the ongoing military intervention against ISIL. Saudi Arabia's actions were verbally supported by United States President Donald Trump. Many countries in the region, including Turkey, Russia and Iran, called for the crisis to be resolved through peaceful negotiations. Gulf Cooperation Council members Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain - along with Egypt - severed ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing it of fomenting regional unrest, supporting "terrorism" and getting too close to Iran - allegations which Doha strongly denies. This work is essentially useful for scholars researchers social activists academics government functionaries and the general reader alike." (Publisher's description)