Qatar ignores Arab anger, escalates GCC rift

CAIRO – 19 June 2017: Qatar increased hostility towards Arab countries by filing a complaint against the Arab League to the United Nations (U.N.) on Monday. This new step reflects Qatar’s discomfort towards the diplomatic and political situation in the Arab region.

Qatari Foreign Minister Muhammad bin Abd al-Rahman Al Thani raised a complaint to U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres regarding the repercussions of Qatar’s isolation imposed by Saudi Arabi, UAE and Bahrain.

Qatari Foreign Minister Prince Zeid bin Ra'ad Al-Hussein also submitted a similar complaint to the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Qatari Official News Agency (QNA) said on Monday.

Qatar is seeking to bring the dispute to international attention and gain sympathy in the U.N.

Qatar’s Permanent Representative to the U.N., Ambassador Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Saif al-Thani, handed over the two complaints to Guterres and Al-Hussein individually during her meeting with them Monday.

Sheikha Alia al-Thani voiced Qatar’s appreciation to the U.N. and High Commission for Human Rights and followed up with statements regarding the situation.

On June 5, 2017 seven Arab countries including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Yemen, Mauritania and Comoros announced the cutting of diplomatic ties with Qatar, blaming "its continuous support for terrorism." Other countries have declared official statements on that decision. Qatar denied these allegations.