Gulf Nashra Weekly Digest
Backlash Against Trump's Gaza Plan; Saudi Arabia's Population Growth; and Oman's New Nationality Law.
Media Coverage
“‘Seizing Gaza’… Trump's statements spark a storm and criticism.” Alarabiya, 02/05/2025.
“His announcement that the United States would take control of the devastated parts after relocating Palestinians elsewhere sparked strong reactions.”
Go Deeper: Gulf countries issued statements: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Oman.
“Syria’s president Ahmed al-Sharaa arrives in Saudi Arabia for first official visit, Saudi Gazette, 02/02/2025.
“Discussions during the visit are expected to center on strengthening bilateral relations and addressing key regional issues, as both nations navigate evolving political landscapes in the Middle East.”
Go Deeper: “Saudi Arabia’s Cautious Embrace of The New Syria” Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, 01/12/2025.
“UAE Mediation Efforts Succeed with New Exchange of 300 Captives between Russia and Ukraine,” UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 02/05/2025.
“The United Arab Emirates has announced the success of mediation efforts in a new exchange of 300 captives between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Ukraine, which included 150 Ukrainian captives and 150 Russian captives - bringing the overall number exchanged through UAE mediation efforts to 2,883.”
Go Deeper: “Mediation of The GCC Members in the Russian-Ukrian War” Ukrain Analytica, 2024. [PDF]
“Saudi Arabia's population increases by 1.6 million in a year, with 76% of them being foreigners,” Aleqtisadiah, 02/06/2025.
“According to the Financial Analysis Unit of Al-Eqtisadiah newspaper, the population increase was primarily driven by an 8.4% rise in the number of foreigners, equivalent to 1.2 million people. This accounted for 76% of the total population growth of both Saudis and non-Saudis, bringing the total number of non-Saudis to 15.7 million.”
Go Deeper: “Population Estimates Statistics 2024,” General Authority for Statistics Authority, 2025.
Bahrain: “Attracting direct investments worth 680 million dinars in 2024, creating 7,400 job opportunities,” Alwatn, 02/02/2025.
“The meeting reviewed the developments achieved in priority sectors, including Saudi Telecom Company’s (STC) investment in establishing a large data center complex, JPMorgan’s efforts to hire software engineers and technology experts in the Kingdom to support global payments, and Crypto.com’s launch of a cryptocurrency credit card in collaboration with Mastercard to serve the GCC region, starting from Bahrain.”
Go Deeper: “Do Foreign Direct Investments Promote Employment in GCC Countries?” Journal of Ecohumanism, 2024.
“Saudi Arabia Mandates National Attire for Secondary School Students,” Saudi Press Agency, 02/01/2025.
“The Ministry of Education mandated that all public and private secondary school male students wear national attire, following directives from HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to emphasize educational values and national identity. Saudi students will wear the thobe and ghutra or shemagh, while non-Saudi students will wear the thobe (excluding students in foreign schools).”
Go Deeper: “Saudi First: How Hyper-Nationalism is Transforming Saudi Arabia,” European Council on Foreign Relations, June 2019.
“His Majesty the Sultan issues royal decree on Omani nationality law,” Muscat Daily, 02/02/2025.
“His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik has issued Royal Decree No. 17/2025, enacting a new Omani Nationality Law, which will replace the existing legislation issued under Royal Decree No. 38/2014.”
Go Deeper: “2014 Oman Nationality Law,” Official Gazette, 2014. [PDF].
Gulf Opinions
Trump’s statements on Gaza and the proposed displacement of Palestinians to other Arab states have sparked widespread anger and strong reactions from Gulf commentators. Some, like Saudi commentator Hassan Yasin, argued for a new world system in which the United States is no longer the sole superpower. More critical voices, such as Kuwaiti commentator Abdulrahman Alhmoud, asserted that there is no justification for Arab leaders to continue their normalization policies with Israel. Furthermore, Bahraini commentator Mohammed Derweesh emphasized that Trump's transactional approach will not bring peace to the region, as Palestinian demands are fundamental to any future resolution. From Oman, Dr. Ahmed Al Amri stressed that it is time for the U.S. to respect the historical efforts of Egypt and Jordan in delivering peace rather than introducing irrational plans that cause more problems than they solve.
More Gulf Opinions
On Trump & Gaza
“Former U.S. President Trump did not stop there; he sought to repeat the "Deal of the Century," which aimed to eliminate the Palestinian cause through his unlawful plan to forcibly displace the Palestinian people in Gaza to several Arab countries, including Egypt and Jordan, while using undiplomatic language.”
Awad bin Saeed Baqweer, Oman (Oman), 02/04/2025.
“The people of Gaza will remain in Gaza and will not leave under any circumstances. They will not be deceived as their ancestors were in 1947 when they left all of Palestine after being forcibly displaced from their homes and lands. Back then, the West promised them a swift return to their homes once their issue was settled, yet that "soon" turned into an eternal wait that continues to this day.”
Yaqub Al-Omar, Al-Qabas (Kuwait), 02/05/2025.
“We are facing four years that are likely to be anything but ordinary. They could either be the nightmare we fear—Palestinians without a homeland—or the dream of an independent Palestinian state. His policies might trigger a dangerous regional war with Iran, or they could achieve a historic regional peace, bringing an end to four decades of conflicts and tensions between Iran and both the Arab world and the West. He may cause the collapse of regimes and widespread chaos, or he could help establish security and stability in the region.”
Abdulrahman Al-Rashed, Asharq Al-Awsat (KSA), 02/06/2025.
Other Topics:
“Most of these [governmenal] electronic services are lagging behind and hindering technological development, despite Qatar being one of the richest countries in the world and investing billions in the country's advancement. So, where do we stand in comparison to the rest of the world?”
Jassim Ibrahim Fakhro, Al-Sharq (Qatar), 02/06/2025.
“While the commendable effort to nationalize jobs (Kuwaitization) is underway, I am disheartened by reports—if true—of another government directive that seeks to restrict leadership positions in public service solely to original Kuwaiti citizens, excluding other Kuwaiti nationals, particularly naturalized citizens.”
Mohammad Al-Dallal, Al-Qabas (Kuwait), 02/03/2025.
“The Sunni Muslims, without a doubt in my mind, are the primary targets of many of the plans being orchestrated for the Middle East.”
Mohammad Al-Saeedi, Alwatan (KSA), 02/02/2025.
“Bahrain has a golden opportunity to use drama as a marketing tool to boost tourism and the economy. Local media can create compelling drama content that showcases these remarkable achievements and enhances Bahrain’s standing on the global stage.”
Abdulmunim Ibrahim, Alwatan (Bahrain), 02/02/2025.
“Privatization, whether for local citizens or foreign investors, offers several advantages. First and foremost, it transforms these institutions from public sector entities into profit-driven joint-stock companies. This shift ensures transparency, as these companies are required to publicly disclose their financial statements on a quarterly and annual basis, allowing for accountability based on performance.”
Ali Al-Mazeed, Asharq Al-Awsat (KSA), 02/02/2025.
“The digital race is reflected in advanced digital manifestations, including the previously mentioned developments in smart military growth, such as biological weapons and space-based military technology. The real conflict is one of existence, driving the entire world toward the formation of a new global order—one that may inevitably be led by China, sooner or later.”
Muammar Al-Toubi, Oman (Oman), 02/01/2025.
Gulf Nashra Picks
Book: Al-Kuwari, Maryam, “Tribal Reawakening and the Future of State-Building in Kuwait and Qatar”. Springer, 2025. Open Access [PDF], English.
Analysis: “The Trump Effect: The Potential Impact of the U.S. President on the Saudi Economy,” Tim Callen, Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, 02/05/2025, English.
Analysis: “Saudi Arabia Is Betting Big on Esports Development,” Ali Behbehani, Gulf International Forum, 02/2025, English.
Analysis: “Rental price transparency: A new data tool for renters in Saudi Arabia,” Meshal Alkhwaiter, Saudi Labor Pulse, 02/06/2025.
Research: “How China Aligned Itself with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030,” Alghannam, Hesham, Carnegie, 01/21,2025, English.
Interview: Tucker Carlson, “Prince Alwaleed bin Talal is one of the biggest media investors in the world. Here’s why he thinks X now dominates everything,” X, 02/05/2025, English.
Podcast: “From Souq Sharq and Marina Mall to Kuwait's Development Housing Projects - with Omran Hayat,” Jadwa Podcast, YouTube, 01/07/2025, Arabic.
Podcast: “Sultan Alamer: The Prospects for Nation-Building in Syria after Assad,” New Lines Institute, 01/14/2025.