Kushner-brokered deal between Saudi Arabia, Qatar gets tepid reviews from analysts

After months of haggling, it appears Jared Kushner has helped secure a "last-minute achievement" for the Trump administration in the form of a brokered agreement between Qatar and a Saudi-led bloc of regional partners, including Bahrain, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates. The deal, which will be signed Tuesday, involves Saudi Arabia reopening its land border with Qatar, while Bahrain and the UAE will unlock their airspace and waters for Qatari transit. In turn, Qatar is expected to "pursue more open-minded engagement" with its neighbors. But analysts and those involved aren't sure whether things will really cool down.

A senior diplomat for one of the Gulf nations reportedly described the pact as a "step in the right direction," but suggested the "root causes" of the longstanding rift between the sides are "still there."

In the Washington Examiner, Tom Rogan similarly writes that "this deal may be a detente. But it should not be seen as a restoration of formal alliances." He argues Saudi Arabia will "continue to be enraged" by Doha's relationship with Iran, its financial support of Islamist movements, and its "quiet alliance with Turkey," among other things.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Ultimately, the agreement may be a nod to the Trump administration, as well as an attempt to start fresh with the Biden administration. Tim O'Donnell