It may already seem too far in the past, but it was only earlier this year that a member country of the Gulf Co-operation Council came under attack, twice. On June 23, Iran attacked Qatar’s Al Udeid air base. And three month later, Israel struck Doha on September 9. Gulf leaders were quick to rally around Qatar and condemned the attacks, as did other leaders from the wider Middle East like Syria and Lebanon.
Since those attacks, the idea of collective defence for the GCC’s six member states has received much attention. Following the September strike, leaders of Arab and Islamic nations convened for an emergency summit in Doha to excoriate Israel’s actions. While a united front was immediately on display, there was a need for a determined plan of action, which would factor in a collective response to any future acts of hostility on any member of the GCC.
Even as the Gulf states share a healthy spirit of economic competitiveness, this week’s summit highlighted their intertwined destinies and the need to continue strengthening co-operation
In Bahrain this week, that has been brought to light. As Gulf leaders gathered in the city of Muharraq for a high-level summit, a message was issued in no uncertain terms that emphasised the united strength of the grouping. No longer can adversarial nations venture to attack any member state of the GCC without factoring in a severe response. A security threat to one member state now is deemed a security threat to all, as was articulated in the final communique. It reiterated the words of King Hamad of Bahrain at the opening session of the summit when he said: “The security and prosperity of the Gulf states are indivisible.”
This comes at a time when the GCC’s heft has increased undeniably in the Middle East. In the past few years, Gulf countries have taken on a wider role in shaping the region’s future – whether in aiding the mediation of a ceasefire in Gaza, enabling technological advances or helping post-war Syria get back on its feet.
The agenda at the
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