Post-Gaza: Saudi Arabia Expresses Interest in Normalization with Israel
Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Al-Ula.
Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani: 10 Years as Emir of Qatar
Although his country was besieged from all sides—even the sending of food was forbidden—the emir did not give up and, with the support of his closest ally, Turkey, and his neighbor Iran, he reduced the destructive aspect of the blockade and managed to keep his country afloat for four years until the Al-Ula agreement was signed in 2021, which lifted the blockade.
Negotiating a New Chapter in Saudi-Turkish Relations
The post-al-Ula regional security narratives of the Saudis have revolved around adjusting the shortcomings of personalized politics and in repairing Saudi Arabia’s bilateral relations.
Echoes from President Erdoğan’s Saudi Arabia Visit: A Fresh Start?
On the regional realm, the easing of tensions between Qatar and the Gulf countries with the signing of the al-Ula Declaration, the launch of normalization talks between Turkey and Egypt, the weakening of the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood, and the Iran nuclear talks were significant motivational factors behind the Turkish-Saudi thaw.
Despite Peace in the Gulf, Qatar and the UAE Still Compete
he Gulf reconciliation at the Al-Ula Summit suddenly changed the regional atmosphere and the rhetoric of war among Saudi, Emirati, and Qatari decision-makers.
Turkey-Saudi Normalization: A Larger Regional Bloc at the Door?
Now or later, Turkey and Saudi Arabia’s resuming realist and pragmatic politics could bring about broader regional implications.
UAE Foreign Policy: Good Neighborliness for Now?
While the Al-Ula reconciliation ended the groupings of the GCC states, the post-reconciliation process sparked a diplomacy rivalry among the GCC actors which strived to present themselves as the region’s important stabilizers and peacemakers.
Saudi-Turkish Relations: A Possible Breakthrough?
However, except for the al-Ula agreement, which paved the way for Saudi Arabia to normalize its relations with Doha, Riyadh seems frozen in time.
Realpolitik vs. Idealpolitik: Turkey-Gulf Re-friending after a Decade-Long Rivalry
Read: Is the UAE-Saudi Political Alliance Sustainable?After Ankara, Tahnoun’s next destination was Doha in the first such visit in four years following this year’s Al-Ula deal that ended the bitter dispute in the region.
The Straw That Might Break the Camel’s Back in Saudi-UAE Relations
Likewise, Saudi Arabia underlined the “Gulf unity” in the Al-Ula GCC Summit in January 2021, despite the fact that the summit was facilitated by Kuwait and the U.
Omani-Saudi Bilateral Ties: Understanding Oman’s Sultan Visit to the Kingdom
In addition to domestic dynamics shaping Oman’s regional relationships, the GCC as a whole is reconfiguring its alignments after the Al-Ula Accord ended the GCC crisis in January 2021 that divided Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE from Qatar, thereby creating greater freedom for these states to enter into agreements without considerations of the boycott of Qatar.
GCC Breakthrough Faces Risk of Relapse as Underlying Tensions Remain
The diplomatic breakthrough was heralded by the arrival of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad on a Qatar Airways flight to Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia.
