Qatar, Saudi Arabia on divide over Syrian opposition

Qatar-Saudi Arabia divide over Syrian opposition has entered new phase before Syrian opposition groups meeting in Istanbul.
Qatar has conditioned the flow of financial aid to Syrian opposition to the dismissal of Maaz al-Khatib from the leadership.

Abdullah Naser, columnist in Lebanese Athabat daily wrote that Qatar-Saudi Arabia divide over Syrian opposition has entered new phase.

“It is not clear that whether verbal fisting between Qatar- and Saudi-backed opposition groups of Syria would mean escalation of crisis between the two countries to have more important role in solving Syrian civil war,” Naser wrote.

“It seems that Saudi Arabia has infiltrated in the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood ranks and files through its network of mercenaries and intelligence agents, who traditionally have been loyal to Turkey and Qatar, and currently, Saudi Arabia has widened its dominance over the committee governing the Syrian Ikhwan, led by Emad ad-Din al-Rashid,”wrote Naser.

“Rashid is reportedly supported by Saudi intelligence sources directly, and that he has managed to canvass the loyalty of large multitudes of Ikhwan members. Meanwhile Rashid appears in Qatari Al Jazeera TV, and obviously attacks Qatari officials, and accusing them of dividing armed rebel groups,” added the report.

Qatar-Saudi divide has been evident, but despite the Syrian crisis, and high differences, they had come to an agreement on ousting Bashar al-Assad from power and overthrowing Syrian government. Recently, the situation has changed.

“ Syrian opposition conference, to be held early next week in Istanbul, will definitely confound the already tense relations between two countries, since apparently Qatar has shown already its teeth and claws to indicate that it is prepared to control Syrian opposition circles and institutions,” continued the report, and that “reportedly, Qatar has been working to dismiss Maaz al-Khatib, current leader of opposition coalition, and replace him with a close associate of Ikhwan, also close to Qatar.

Thus, Qatar would not be satisfied to this, and if not achieving its objectives, Qatar has already voiced even before Istanbul conference that it would cut financial aid to opposition, and has stipulated the flow of financial aid to dismissal of al-Khatib.”

Qatar has also accused al-Khatib of inclination towards Syrian government and proposing talks with it.