As reported by Al-Araby on 30 May 2019, Qatari Prime minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser al-Thani has been invited to an
emergency security summit in Mecca ahead of the meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). This is the first time that a high-ranking Qatari official has visited Saudi Arabia since Saudi Arabia and its allies imposed a blockade on Qatar two year ago.
Michael Bosch, persecution analyst at World Watch Research, comments: "Since the start of the blockade in July 2017 all ties between Qatar and Saudi-Arabia were broken and both countries expelled each other"s citizens (Hajj pilgrims visiting Mecca excepted). However, the
rising tension between Saudi-Arabia (and its ally, the USA) and Iran - as reported by BBC News on 30 May 2019 - seems to have forced the Saudi Kingdom to confirm that Qatar is on their side. At the same time, it could also be that Qatar will act as an intermediary between the archrivals Saudi Arabia and Iran, since Qatar developed a closer relationship with the Persian theocracy after the start of the blockade. No announcement has yet been made, but Saudi Arabia might have promised to ease its pressure on Qatar in order to get them aboard. Despite the boycott, Qatar is
coping well economically (as reported by BBC News on 10 January 2019), so there is no reason for them to give in to Saudi Arabia, especially since Iran will be carefully observing whatever steps Qatar makes."
Michael Bosch adds: "These political moves do not have any direct impact on Christians living in Qatar or in the wider region. However, in the Middle East, it would seem that Christians often fare well, when their neighbors (the Muslim majority) are faring well."
