1 Volume 6, Number 17 September 10, 2012 Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the Syrian Uprising Uzi Rabi and Chelsi Mueller For much of the past fifteen years, relations between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, both members of the 6-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), have been characterized by frequent bouts of discord, stemming mainly from Doha’s determination to pursue an eclectic and assertive foreign policy beyond the bounds of what Riyadh deemed acceptable. But the Arab Spring protests over the last two years have generated a new phase of cooperation between the two countries. This has especially been manifested in Syria, where they have funneled money and weapons to armed groups battling to overthrow Bashar al-Asad’s regime. For Saudi Arabia, the Syrian uprising has afforded the opportunity to actualize a long-held desire to break the 33 year old- alliance between the Iranian Islamic Republic and secular Ba`thist Syria, and thus deliver a strategic blow to Iran’s aspirations to be a regional hegemon. Qatar’s motivation is less obvious. During the last decade, Doha has made special efforts to develop good ties with both Damascus and Tehran, to Riyadh’s extreme displeasure. But Qatar’s latest actions, which marked a shift from its previous policy of neutrality in regional disputes, were consistent with Emir Khalid bin Khalifa Al Thani’s appetite for international prestige and strategy for surviving in a region fraught with dangers. The discord in Saudi-Qatari relations began with Hamad’s seizure of power from his father, Sheikh Khalifa, in a bloodless takeover in 1995. Sheikh Hamad resented his father’s policies, which he believed had made Qatar beholden to the interests of Saudi Arabia. Hence, upon assuming power he took steps to emphasize Qatar’s independence from Saudi Arabia and the Saudi-dominated GCC framework. Among the most prominent was the establishment of the Arabic satellite television news network, al-Jazeera. Because al-Jazeera aired broadcasts that were at times extremely critical of other Arab regimes, Saudi and other GCC leaders came to view al-Jazeera as a tool being employed by the Qatari Emir to undermine them. For example, following the 2002 Arab League endorsement of the Saudi-led Arab Peace Initiative, al-Jazeera broadcast a debate on Saudi policy towards the Palestinian issue which exposed the Saudis to severe criticism. Qatar also angered the Saudis by maintaining low-key relations with Israel, against Saudi wishes. 1 Consequently, in 1 Uzi Rabi, “Qatar's Relations with Israel: Challenging Arab and Gulf Norms”, Middle East Journal 63, 3 (Summer 2009), 443‐459.