Doha, Riyadh Set to Sign Agreement Ending Blockade

The continuing Qatar crisis that began in June 2017 and has pitted major Gulf states against each other may be nearing conclusion, as White House senior adviser Jared Kushner continues his farewell tour of the region in a last-gasp effort to reconcile the bickering neighbors. According to a source who spoke with Al Jazeera, the Saudi and Qatari governments will soon sign a preliminary deal ending their part in the dispute, which erupted over three years ago when Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt imposed a blockade and embargo on Qatar, accusing it of fostering terrorism and cooperating with Iranian regional aggression. The remaining three nations have yet to signal their willingness to lift the sanctions on Doha. Kushner’s final tour included meetings with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh and with the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in Doha.