Eric Shawn reports: Squeezing Qatar
Amb. Dennis Ross on stopping the Gulf state's alleged terror funding
Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations that have cut ties to Qatar issued a long list of demands Thursday to end the crisis, insisting that their Gulf neighbor shut down Al-Jazeera, scale back ties to Iran and close a Turkish military base in Qatar.
In a 13-point list issued to Qatar, the Arab nations demand the country sever all ties with the Muslim Brotherhood and with other groups including Hezbollah, Al Qaeda and the Islamic State.
Qatar must refuse to naturalize citizens from the four countries and expel those currently in Qatar, in what the countries describe as an effort to keep Qatar from meddling in their internal affairs.
A map of Qatar is seen in this picture illustration June 5, 2017. REUTERS/Thomas White/Illustration - RTX3910P (REUTERS/Thomas White/Illustration)
They are also demanding that Qatar hand over all individuals who are wanted by those four countries for terrorism; stop funding any extremist entities that are designated as terrorist groups by the U.S.; and provide detailed information about opposition figures that Qatar has funded, ostensibly in Saudi Arabia and the other nations. Qatar was given 10 days to comply with the list of demands.
Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain severed ties with Qatar earlier this month over allegations the nation funds terrorism – an accusation President Trump has echoed.
Qatar’s neighbors have voiced loud concerns over its ties with Iran and it is echoed with the demands. Qatar is told to shut down diplomatic posts in Iran, kick out from Qatar any members of the Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard, and only conduct trade and commerce with Iran that complies with U.S. sanctions.
The demands regarding Al-Jazeera, the Doha-based satellite broadcaster, state that Qatar must also shut down all affiliates. That presumably would mean Qatar would have to close down Al-Jazeera's English-language affiliate. Qatar's neighbors accuse Al-Jazeera of fomenting unrest in the region and supporting the Muslim Brotherhood.
If Qatar agrees to comply, the list asserts that it will be audited once a month for the first year, and then once per quarter in the second year after it takes effect. For the following 10 years, Qatar would be monitored annually for compliance.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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