What's Next in Qatar’s Spat With the Saudi-Led Alliance
- Demands were ‘submitted to be rejected,’ Qatar minister says
- Forcing Qatar from the GCC would require 5-nation consensus
Investors Weigh Qatar Deadline Extension
Qatar’s 10-day deadline to submit to 13 demands of a Saudi-led bloc was extended to Wednesday at the request of the emir of Kuwait, a mediator in the conflict. Even with the 48-hour extension, there are no signs either side is ready to back down.
Observers say the alliance -- which also includes the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt -- probably expected isolated Qatar to quickly kneel to its larger neighbor before the economic and social cost soared. That hasn’t happened, with leaders in Doha buoyed by their gas wealth as well as support from Turkey and Iran. Almost a month after it began, with the severing of diplomatic and commercial links, the Gulf’s biggest diplomatic crisis threatens to realign Mideast relations.