The News
A month ago, the Middle East revolved around an assertive Israel and a weakening Iran. Today, Syria dominates headlines after rebels crippled Tehran’s “axis of resistance,” elevating Türkiye’s role.
Gulf nations are recalibrating their strategies to a new reality that affects their foreign and domestic policies, and may rattle other countries with restive populations.
The Gulf Cooperation Council held an extraordinary meeting Thursday to discuss Syria, calling for sanctions to be lifted, condemning Israel’s buffer zone occupation, and pledging support for Syria’s transition and reconstruction.
Know More
Gulf states have historically diverged on Syria: Oman, the UAE, and Bahrain restored ties with Assad; Qatar backed the rebels; Kuwait prioritized humanitarian aid; and Saudi Arabia would tread cautiously. Now, the dynamics have shifted.
Previous concerns over Iranian influence and drug trade are giving way to new concerns. “What if Syria were to overcome the competing interventions of global and regional powers to project a truly national project?” Kristin Smith Diwan of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington wrote. “Even a relative success of a Sunni-led, but moderated, state would resonate across Syria’s permeable borders.”
While Gulf states have been relatively insulated from regime-change contagion, Egypt — a key ally — is more vulnerable. President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has repeatedly warned of destabilization attempts. “They have already destroyed Syria. Their goal is to bring down the Egyptian state,” he cautioned in a video heavy with military imagery aired by a government-linked TV channel.