News just broke out.
It's still developing.
Will update this post.
UPDATE 1:
UPDATE 2:
UPDATE 3:
UPDATE 4:
Egypt cuts ties too
UPDATE 5:
It's still developing.
BREAKING: Bahrain says it is cutting diplomatic ties to Qatar amid a deepening rift between Gulf Arab nations.
https://twitter.com/AP/status/871559741239156738
Will update this post.
UPDATE 1:
Bahrain has announced it is cutting diplomatic ties with Qatar, according to a statement carried on Bahrain News Agency.
The statement on Monday morning said Bahrain decided to sever ties with its neighbor ”on the insistence of the State of Qatar to continue destabilizing the security and stability of the Kingdom of Bahrain and to intervene in its affairs".
The statement also said Qatar's incitement of the media and supporting of terrorist activities and financing groups linked to Iran were reasons behind the decision.
”(Qatar has) spread chaos in Bahrain in flagrant violation of all agreements and covenants and principles of international law Without regard to values, law or morals or consideration of the principles of good neighborliness or commitment to the constants of Gulf relations and the denial of all previous commitments," the statement read.
Qatari citizens have 14 days to leave Bahraini territories while Qatari diplomats were given 48 hours to leave the country after being expelled. Meanwhile, Bahrain has also banned all of its citizens from visiting or residing in Qatar after the severance of ties.
Meanwhile, Bahrain has has closed both air and sea borders with Qatar.
https://english.alarabiya.net/en/Ne...-announces-it-is-cutting-ties-with-Qatar.html
UPDATE 2:
#UAE has followed #Saudi and #Bahrain and has cut diplomatic ties with #Qatar blocked airspace and sea lanes and roadways
https://twitter.com/awadz/status/871560772140380160
UPDATE 3:
Here is an older article with a bit of background: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2017/06/01/whats-going-on-with-qatar/
Seems like Saudi Arabia and/or UAE is trying to assert dominance in the region and take a harder line on Iran than before. Qatar's leader may have recently said some critical remarks or a state run news website was hacked and he never said those things at all. Also Obama's nuanced diplomacy in the region has been replaced by Trump's support for Saudi Arabia and anti-Iran stance has probably emboldened Saudi Arabia to make this move
UPDATE 4:
Egypt cuts ties too
UPDATE 5:
Jordan getting in on the action too:
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/06/qatar-diplomatic-crisis-latest-updates-170605105550769.html
And of course Al Jazeera is the main target again.