Qatar is a small Kingdom in the Gulf region that retains a significant position in the Middle Eastern, International, and Global Muslim affairs. It is ruled by the Al-Thani family, which is engaged in political, economic, business, and cultural affairs, not only as rulers of Qatar but also through the development of personal liaisons with power brokers and influential entities worldwide. Qatar retains a hedging position in global politics as it tends to keep strategic ties with conflicting actors on every side. Its leadership has closer ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran as well as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It hosts the ‘Forward Headquarters’ of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) at Al-Udeid Airbase, Abu Nakhlah, and also has the deployment of several thousand Turkish troops operating under a Turkish-Qatari joint force command.

At the same time, Qatar retained limited ties with Israel on a timely basis and also hosts offices of prominent Islamist organizations including ‘Afghan Taliban’ and Palestinian “Hamas”. The central question is why Qatar has maintained closer relationships with all conflicting parties, even in the face of potential pressures from more powerful regional actors. This is particularly notable during the Saudi-led Arab diplomatic blockade involving Egypt, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Another concern raised by experts and scholars originates from Qatar, as its government has maintained ties with groups such as the........

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