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By : Salman Aldosary

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:: The only surprise that didn’t happen on Wednesday was a positive Qatari response to Kuwaiti emir’s mediation that could have ended the current crisis. The negative response was nothing new; it was expected just like all other reactions that came from Qatar after Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt severed ties with it a month ago.

All that is needed from Qatar is to stop its aggressive policies and attitudes and become a rational state. What is requested from it is already applied by other states, this is the best response to Qatar’s repeated statements that the demands violate its sovereignty.

This is the truth said, a truth that is being manipulated by Doha to serve vanity.

It is important to mention that when the four countries decided to take this decisive and bold step, they were fully aware that the road to ending Qatar’s rashness and aggressive attitude will be long and bumpy.

Patience is what these four states have, unlike their rebellious neighbor. Qatar has been warned first then boycotted before being isolated – economic procedures were natural and a small part of a due bill that has accumulated with time – though late.

The upcoming stage will witness a quadruple insistence on the return of Qatar to normality and its persistence to stay out of line will no longer be an option.

Unfortunately, the main Qatari goal to shake Saudi’s stability and divide it should always be remembered – this was the dream of the former emir who has proven that Qatari leaders are following his path.

Destructive

Disregarding this destructive purpose, it wouldn’t be easy to analyze the Qatari attitude. Let go of attempts to simplify the dispute as if it is only related to the relations with Iran and Al Jazeera – these are only tools to a bigger project.

This shows that Qatar is incapable of getting rid of suspicious ties to which the regime has linked itself for two decades and that the next phase would be more difficult to Doha, as it won’t be able to benefit from free mutual interests and features anymore while it conspires against its neighbors.

All that is needed from Qatar is to stop its aggressive policies and attitudes and become a rational state.

Salman al-Dossary

Simple. You are posing a threat on my security and stability and planning to destroy my country. It is time to be faced with two options: you either come to your senses and rehabilitate your political dogma or endure consequences and pay a costly price.

One highly important point is that action taken against Doha doesn’t follow Qatar’s path. No support was given to terrorist groups to implement destructive activities in Qatar and no intelligence acts were conducted inside the country to undermine its national security.

This is part of what Qatar has been doing in the region for years. The only thing these states did was to practice their right in depriving Qatar of the interests it made use of for a long time. It is weird how Doha insists on its destructive policy in the region and at the same time wants to act as a brotherly country.

The steps taken against Qatar were smart and rational because they were carefully studied and no international law was violated – Qatar that has chosen to keep the current situation as it is and not resolve the dispute should anticipate more sanctions from the four states.

Soon, the cost of carrying out commercial activities in Qatar will increase especially among its international partners.

Since day one of the crisis the four states had a basic message: it is time to close the open door of evil with Qatar. The response stressed that Doha is capable of managing its affairs without the need of its neighboring and brotherly countries. Let Qatar walk alone and days will prove who can’t but return. Qatar will come back later on – whether it likes it or not – after the chaos created by its policies and destructive dogma is settled.

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:: Salman Aldosary is the former editor-in-chief of Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper.

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:: Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in the Column section are their own and do not reflect RiyadhVision’s point-of-view.

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