[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on the Arabian Peninsula and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Arabian Peninsula Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week's roundup to ap@jadaliyya.com by Monday night of every week.]
Regional and International Relations
Saudi, UAE, Bahrain withdraw Qatar envoys The three countries announce the withdrawal of their ambassadors to Qatar in order to “protect their security and stability” after the failure of Qatar to commit to the principles of non-interference.
Can Kuwait save the GCC? Joseph A. Kechichian reflects on Kuwait’s mediation between Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain.
Recalling GCC Ambassadors from Doha: A Background and Future Predictions Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies provides an analysis of the discord between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which culminated in the withdrawal of ambassadors from Qatar.
Spurning Gulf Arab pressure, Qatar says foreign policy 'non-negotiable' The Qatari foreign minister asserts that Doha will not change its foreign policy, in a reference to its intention to continue to support the Muslim Brotherhood.
Qatar rift is pivotal test for disunited Gulf families Angus McDowall and Sylvia Westall discuss the future of the Gulf Cooperation Council in light of the rift between Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Kuwait's emir could heal Gulf rift with Qatar: speaker The speaker of the parliament asserts that the Kuwaiti emir can play an intermediary role between the Gulf states.
Gulf's rift over Qatar may slow investment, reforms Andrew Torchia and Martin Dokoupil argue that the split among the Gulf states may slow investment projects in the region.
Riyadh and Doha: A fierce but low-profile battle Fouad Ibrahim analyzes the relations between Doha and Riyadh in light of the withdrawal of the Emirati, Saudi, and Bahraini ambassadors from Qatar.
Qatar signals strategic shifts as Iranian diplomacy sways EU Sami Kleib analyzes Qatar’s regional policy in light of the Qatari foreign minister’s visit to Tehran.
Qatar crisis could go two ways: ‘diplomacy or sanctions’ Samir Salama discusses the two possible solutions for the rift between Qatar and the tripartite Gulf states.
Ambassadors’ recall a first warning, analyst says Habib Toumi reviews analyses on the split within the Gulf Cooperation Council with regard to Qatar.
Qatar’s emir faces his first tough test Roula Khalaf examines the options available to the Qatari emir in dealing with the fallout with Saudi Arabia.
Diplomacy in the Gulf: No one is happy An article on the entangled relations between Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United States.
Egypt Pulls Ambassador From Qatar David Kirkpatrick provides an account of Egypt’s decision to withdraw its ambassador to Qatar.
Egypt envoy 'will not return' to Qatar Cairo welcomes the decision of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates to withdraw their ambassadors to Qatar.
Saudi Arabia declares Muslim Brotherhood ‘terrorist group’ The Interior Ministry issues a new terrorist list, which included the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, al-Nusra Front, and Hizbullah in Saudi Arabia.
PM Maliki says Saudi Arabia and Qatar ‘destabilise’ Iraq The Iraqi prime minister blames the two Gulf states for the deterioration of the situation in Iraq through their support of insurgent groups.
Bahrain and Iran trade accusations at U.N. rights forum The Bahraini foreign minister accuses Iran of attempting to destabilize Bahrain while Iran condemns the Gulf state for its treatment of activists.
Freeing the nuns: Qatar's continuing influence An analysis of Qatar's political influence in the release of nuns in Maaloula in Syria.
Reports and Opinions
Gulf airlines defend female cabin crew policies Qatar Airways and Emirates Airlines defend their policies on pregnancy and marriage for female crew.
Saudi sentences three suspected militants to death for 2003 bombing A Saudi court sentences three men to death and jails two others for up to seventeen years for their role in attacks in 2003.
Riyadh jails Islamist for 8 years for Twitter protest call A news report on the jail sentence of an Islamist on charges of inciting protests and ridiculing the king.
Saudi Arabia’s grumpy foreign policy As`ad AbuKhalil reflects on the Saudi royal family’s foreign policy.
Saudi women take on oppressive guardianship system Rana Harbi examines Saudi women activists’ petition to the Consultative Council, which proposes a curb on the “absolute authority” of male guardians.
Repression in Bahrain
Children injured 'planting bomb' in Bahrain The Interior Ministry claims that two children, who were instructed by “terrorists” to plant a bomb in Daih, were injured.
Bahrain says foreign 'terrorists' behind blast that killed three police The Bahraini authorities claim that foreigners were responsible for the explosion in Daih last week.
Bahrain puts groups on terrorism list after bomb kills three police Farishta Saeed reports on the blacklist issued by Doha, which labeled some civil society groups as terrorist.
What Drives the Bahrain Opposition Readers respond to Sarah bin Ashoor’s “Bahrain hijacked reform efforts,” which was published in The New York Times last month.
Crisis in Yemen
Sectarian unrest draws close to Yemen capital A news report on the fighting between the Houthis and tribesmen in al-Jawf province and Hamdan.
Yemen's president appoints new officials The Yemeni president appoints new officials to critical positions following criticism of the regime’s performance.
Yemen panel ordered to draw up decentralization plan President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi forms a panel in charge of drafting the constitution that would turn Yemen into six federal regions.
Soldiers killed in attack on Yemen base Militants attack a military base in Abyan province, killing two soldiers.
Yemen drone strike kills al-Qaeda suspects A US drone strike kills four suspected al-Qaeda members in al-Jawf province.
US Drones: 'Psychological Torture' from Above and the Resistance from Below Sarah Lazare argues that US drone strikes in Yemen are tearing the social fabric apart.
Media
UAE journalists in Qatar pressured to quit The Saudi and Emirati authorities call on their nationals working for Qatari media outlets to quit their jobs.
Trial of al-Jazeera reporters resumes in Egypt Nine journalists, accused of having ties with a terrorist group, appeared before a judge last week.
Peter Greste calls on Tony Abbott to speak out for imprisoned journalists Paul Farrell writes on the appeal issued by the imprisoned Australian journalist.
Al-Jazeera trial: prosecution presents contents of journalists' hotel rooms Patrick Kingsley described the court scene on day two of the trial of the journalists as a “farce.”
Whatever happened to the Qatari film industry? Alex Ritman discusses the Qatari cinema industry and its film festival that flourished at one point.
Qatari papers lash out at Gulf trio Qatar’s newspapers, unlike the Qatari government, criticize Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates harshly following their decision to withdraw their ambassadors from Doha.
Migrant Workers
Qatar World Cup labour costs to rise after revelation of construction deaths The International Monetary Fund anticipates that Qatar will face a rise in labor costs because of the publicity of the deaths of migrant workers.
Migrants die in Yemen boat sinking Forty-two African migrants drowned off the coast of Yemen.
Human Rights
Joint Statement: NGOs Express Concern Over Escalation Of Violence In Bahrain And Reiterate The Legitimate Demands Of Peaceful Protestors The Bahrain Center for Human Rights publishes a statement, signed by different organizations, on human rights abuses in Bahrain.
Saudi Arabia: Dr Abdullah Al-Hamid and Dr Mohammed Al-Qahtani commence hunger strike and sentence of Mikhlif Al-Shammari upheld as oppression of human rights defenders continues The Gulf Center for Human Rights condemns the treatment of activists and human rights defenders in the kingdom.
Update: Kuwait- Arrest and detention of human rights defender Abdulhakim Al-Fadhli and his brother The Gulf Center for Human Rights reports on the arrest of al-Fadhli and his brother, and calls for their immediate release.
Free Saudi Arabian human rights activists on hunger strike Amnesty International urges the Saudi authorities to release human rights defenders, who went on hunger strike recently to protest their sentences.
Press Release: Joint Letter to the FIA Calling for Suspension of 2014 Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights publishes a joint letter addressed to the president of Formula One, urging him not to hold the championship in Bahrain because of the regime’s human rights violations.
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