PM welcomes restoration of Qatar-UAE diplomatic relations
Gulf TimesJun 19, 2023
Qatar and the UAE's respective embassies and consulates resumed operations on Monday after a six-year pause in diplomatic ties.
In 2017, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Egypt imposed a boycott and blockade of Qatar over allegations the country was supporting Islamist groups across the Middle East after the Arab Spring protests in 2011.
This is a promising development and demonstrates that the prevailing attitude of rapprochement has led to several diplomatic breakthroughs in the Gulf. From Saudi Arabia and Iran to the UAE and Qatar, the Arab nations are putting aside their differences to tackle pressing issues in the region cooperatively.
We cannot forget that innocent people have lost lives because of Qatar's sponsorship of terror in the Middle East. There are credible allegations that Qatari banks, closely aligned with the government, funneled tens of millions of dollars into terror organizations, which was later used to carry out attacks. We must fight for justice for Qatar's victims, even amid this diplomatic thaw.
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