Assahafa.com
The notion of a “united and cohesive Gulf house” has become little more than a worn-out slogan, contradicted by mounting evidence and escalating tensions between capitals presumed to be allies. With the end of what can be described as the “Gulf honeymoon,” deep-rooted disagreements are resurfacing—no longer possible to conceal or gloss over with diplomatic rhetoric.
The first of these fractures is evident in the growing rift between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, the twin pillars of the region’s economic and political axis. Differences are no longer confined to divergent viewpoints; they now extend to sensitive issues involving regional influence, economic policies, and the reshaping of power balances within the Gulf. The silence of official statements cannot mask a clear reality: trust has eroded, and competition is increasingly overshadowing coordination.
At the same time, unprecedented tension is emerging between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia—an unsettling development given the historically close relationship between the two countries. The resurgence of disputes over border and economic files raises a fundamental question: are the mechanisms of the Gulf Cooperation Council still capable of containing disagreements, or have they been reduced to hollow frameworks with no real effectiveness?
On the media front, concern is growing over the renewed escalation of tensions between Doha and Manama. Reciprocal media campaigns are fueling an atmosphere of suspicion and laying the groundwork for a soft but dangerous rupture.
Media outlets, which should serve as bridges for dialogue, have once again become arenas for political score-settling, reflecting the depth of divisions rather than merely amplifying them.
What is most alarming in today’s Gulf landscape is not only the proliferation of tension points, but the absence of a collective will to address the root causes of recurring crises. Instead of frank dialogue and critical reassessment, temporary de-escalation is favored—often in anticipation of a new and potentially more severe confrontation.
The continuation of this trajectory threatens to erode what remains of trust within the Gulf system and opens the door to external interventions long poised to exploit moments of division. Do Gulf capitals truly grasp the risks of playing on the edge of the abyss?
Or is the end of the “honeymoon” merely the beginning of a more turbulent and confrontational phase?
