Will war of words hamper efforts to end Gulf crisis?
US says prolonged dispute is getting increasingly confusing, as states involved continue trading harsh words.
More than two weeks have passed since Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic ties with Qatar and imposed a travel blockade.
But their grievances are still little more than rumours and whispers.
The US state department says the prolonged dispute is becoming increasingly confusing.
There has been a steady flow of harsh words between the countries involved.
Meshal bin Hamad Al Thani, the Qatari ambassador to the US, wrote an editorial in the Wall Street Journal this week, responding to the UAE’s assertion that Qatar supports “terrorism”.
He said the UAE was singled out in the 9/11 Commission’s report for its role in laundering money for “terrorists” – and Emiratis, not Qataris, were among the hijackers.
Presenter: Sohail Rahman
Guests:
Khalid Alkhater – research fellow at Cambridge University
Hillary Mann Leverett – former White House diplomat
Shafeeq Ghabra – professor of political science at Kuwait University