This article explores the root causes of enduring tensions between Saudi Arabia and Qatar by re-examining Qatar’s blockade from 2017 to 2021. Departing from conventional analyses centered on material and security-related factors, this prioritizes the role of cultural and normative elements in understanding the underlying causes of the strained relationship. It argues that the aberrant demands imposed by Saudi Arabia on Qatar during the blockade, which could undermine the latter’s ultimate independence, can be better understood within the context of the general Khaliji (Gulf Arab) culture, which emphasizes obedience to older male figures within the family hierarchy. This cultural framework extends to foreign policy through the metaphorical apparatus of brotherly ties (Al-Rawabit Al-Akhawiyyah) within the Khaliji family of states (Al-Bayt Al-Khaliji). Given the entrenched nature of these cultural constructs, the article anticipates continued tensions in Saudi Arabia-Qatar relations in the future.
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