Gulf Nashra Weekly Digest
Gulf Visions of Artificial Intelligence; Eid Wars in the Arab World; Trump to Visit the Gulf in May; Kuwait’s Electricity Struggles; and a Book on Dubai
2.6 million worshippers at the Grand Mosque on the night of the 27th of Ramadan.
Media Coverage
“Fight Over Ending Ramadan Sparks Fury in Arab World.” Newsweek, Mar 31, 2025.
“On Saturday, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Palestinian authorities announced the end of the holy month for Muslims so they could begin Eid Al-Fitr celebrations on Sunday …In contrast, Iran, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Oman observed Sunday as the last day of Ramadan. Algeria, Tunisia, Morrocco, Pakistan, Malaysia, and Indonesia also celebrated Eid on Monday.”
Go Deeper: “Ramadan and Eid’s Crescent Wars.” Ibrahim Elhoudaiby, Newlines Magazine, April 9, 2024.
“Gulf States Face Baseline 10% U.S. Tariffs; Iraq Says It Expects Limited Impact.” WSJ, Apr 03, 2025.
“Bahrain and Oman have had free-trade agreements with the U.S. for more than 15 years, and the currencies of most of the countries are pegged to the U.S. dollar.”
Go Deeper: “How can US trade tariffs impact Middle Eastern countries?” Salaam Gateway, February 26, 2025.
“Trump says he will visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE as early as May.” Reuters, April 01, 2025.
“Trump said on Monday he plans to visit Saudi Arabia as early as May to sign an investment agreement in what will be the first foreign trip of his second term, with stops also planned in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.”
Go Deeper: “Trump’s upcoming Middle East trip presents opportunities at a time of increased risks.” Middle East Institute, April 2, 2025.
“Border security agreement signed between Syria, Lebanon in Saudi Arabia.” Al Arabiya, March 28, 2025.
“Thursday’s meeting…was attended by Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman, Syrian Minister of Defense Major General Murhaf Abu Qasra, Lebanese Minister of Defense Major General Michel Menassa …to discuss issues of mutual interest aimed at achieving security and stability between Syria and Lebanon.”
Go Deeper: “Lebanon-Syria Border Talks Can Restrain Hezbollah and Boost Security.” The Washigton Institute, April 3, 2025.
“Two arrested as investigation into ‘QatarGate’ in Israel deepens.” CNN, April 01, 2025.
“An Israeli court on Tuesday extended the initial detention of Yonatan Urich, Netanyahu’s closest adviser, and former aide Eli Feldstein by three days, saying their release would disrupt an investigation into their suspected involvement in conducting public relations for Qatar. The judge denied the police’s original request for a nine-day detention to conduct their investigation.”
Go Deeper: “What is the 'Qatargate' scandal roiling Israel?” France 24, April 02, 2025.
“Qatar, Israel take part in military drill in Greece.” Middle East Monitor, April 02, 2025.
“The Iniochos exercise includes France, India, Israel, Italy, Montenegro, Poland, Qatar, Slovenia, Spain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the US.”
Go Deeper: “Rivals in the Service of Empire: Abu Dhabi, Qatar and the United States.” Noria Research, September 03, 2024.
“World Court to hear Sudan genocide case against United Arab Emirates.” Reuters, March 29, 2025.
“Sudan has accused the UAE of arming the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) which have been fighting the Sudanese army in a two-year-old civil war - a charge the UAE denies but U.N. experts and U.S. lawmakers have found credible.”
Go Deeper: “Middle Eastern monarchies in Sudan’s war: what’s driving their interests.” The Conversation, March 16, 2025.
“Crown Prince orders key real estate reforms in Riyadh to stabilize land and rental prices.” Saudi Gazette, March 29, 2025.
“As part of the initiative, the Crown Prince ordered the lifting of restrictions on land transactions — including sales, purchases, subdivisions, and construction permits — in two key northern areas of Riyadh.”
Go Deeper: “KSA Real Estate Report H2 2024 Review and H1 2025 Outlook.” Markaz, January 2025. [PDF].
“Kuwait implements power cuts as demand outstrips restricted capacity.” Reuters, April 02, 2025.
“Wednesday's outages lasted less than two hours before electricity was restored, according to posts by the electricity ministry on X. Temperatures have risen by about 10 degrees over the past week to a high of around 38 degrees Celsius (100.4°F) on Wednesday. Summer temperatures in the Gulf country often exceed 50 degrees Celsius.”
Go Deeper: “Kuwait Is Awash in Oil Money. But It Can’t Keep the Power On.” The New York Times, September 08, 2024.
“NFL to explore playing a game in Middle East.” Reuters, March 31, 2025.
“Peter O'Reilly, the league's executive vice president, confirmed there is "strong interest" in hosting a game in Dubai or Abu Dhabi during a news conference on Monday at the NFL owners meeting in Palm Beach, Fla.”
Go Deeper: “The Rise of Gulf States’ Investments in Sports: Neither Soft Power nor Sportswashing?” Middle East Political Science.
“Tourism experts: Hotel occupancy at 100% ahead of the launch of Formula 1.” Al Watan, April 02, 2025.
“The event is considered one of the Kingdom’s most prominent sporting and tourism occasions. Charbel Hanna, General Manager of the Crowne Plaza Hotel, confirmed that the Formula 1 race in Bahrain sees a noticeable year-on-year increase in tourist turnout, which directly boosts hotel occupancy rates.”
Go Deeper: “Using sport as a national soft power strategy MMA Bahrain.” Nadim Nassif, Routledge Handbook of Sport in the Middle East, 2022.
“More than 122 million visitors to the Two Holy Mosques during Ramadan.” Asharq Al-Awsat, March 31, 2025.
“The report indicated that the number of Umrah performers reached 16,558,241, while the number of worshippers at the Grand Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) totaled 75,573,928, and the number of worshippers at the Prophet’s Mosque (Al-Masjid an-Nabawi) reached 30,154,543.”
Go Deeper: “The Implementation Plan for Pilgrim Experience Program 2021-2025.” Saudi Government. [PDF].
Gulf Opinions
This week, Gulf commentators emphasized the growing significance of Artificial Intelligence (AI), not only in shaping human behavior but also in influencing both domestic and global affairs. From Saudi Arabia, Mishary Al Dhayidi voiced concern over the “ethical, artistic, and imaginative” implications of using AI to "recreate, animate, and voice" revered historical or cultural figures, particularly for commercial purposes. He contends that such practices could ultimately undermine “human imagination” and diminish the richness of creative interpretation. In contrast, fellow Saudi commentator Fahad Alshoqiran views the global debate surrounding AI—across “ethical, economic, and social” dimensions—as a “natural continuation” of the skepticism that has historically accompanied major scientific revolutions. He argues that rather than confronting this AI “flood” with fear or rhetorical resistance, societies must engage it with thoughtful analysis, adaptive policies, and strategic understanding. Similarly, the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research, via a column published in Aletihad, highlighted the United Arab Emirates' strategic integration of AI technologies into its “space sector.” The article argues that the UAE is leveraging AI to boost “innovation,” improve “operational efficiency,” and cement its role as a “global leader” in space exploration. Notably, in 2024, the UAE announced the creation of SPACE42, a strategic merger between ELYAH SAT and Bayanat, aimed at offering cutting-edge space solutions through AI. This initiative is intended to capture a greater share of regional and global markets in satellite communications and “geospatial data technologies.” From Qatar, Amal Almohannadi shed light on a more concerning aspect of AI. She warned that in today’s increasingly digital world, cyber attackers are no longer limited to hacking devices, they now exploit the “human psyche” through “social engineering,” a sophisticated cyberattack strategy that manipulates emotional and psychological responses to extract sensitive information. Also from Qatar, Khalid Mahmoud cautioned against the “hidden dangers” of seemingly harmless tech trends, such as “anime-style” photo filters or AI-generated avatars. Drawing a vivid comparison, he wrote, “What’s posted in cyberspace is like a tattoo: easy to ink, hard to erase.” Mahmoud argued that these popular apps often harvest users' “biometric data,” transforming it into a “commodity” traded without proper regulation or consent, thereby posing serious threats to “digital privacy.” At the global level, Muna Salhab of Kuwait argued that AI has evolved into a powerful “geopolitical tool,” akin to “nuclear” arms during the 20th century. She emphasized that global powers like the United States and China are now leveraging AI not merely as a technological asset, but as a means to assert strategic dominance. The emergence of AI models such as ChatGPT and DeepSeek, she noted, reflects not only technological progress but also the distinct political and cultural philosophies each country seeks to project in shaping the “future world order.”
More Gulf Opinions
“It is true that the Fitch Solutions report indicated that the impact and repercussions of the new U.S. tariffs on the Middle East region are limited, particularly for the Gulf countries, and that the region’s exports will not be significantly affected. However, while Gulf financial markets have shown some concern over the U.S. decision, it is quite clear that the Gulf steel and aluminum sector requires further assurances and exemptions. Otherwise, this vital sector will need to seek alternatives in other global markets.”
Mahmeed Almahmeed, Akhbar Alkhaleej, (Bahrain), April 4, 2025.
“The Trump administration is working to strip Iran of its alliance leverage during negotiations, specifically targeting Russia, a key supporter of Iran’s (peaceful) nuclear program. This issue has now been included in the U.S.-Russia negotiations held in Jeddah last month, as confirmed by the Kremlin. This means that the talks were not limited to the Russia-Ukraine war but expanded to include new arrangements aimed at redefining the extent of Russia’s influence in the Middle East.”
Sawsan Al Sha'er, Alwatan, (Bahrain), April 2, 2025.
“Today, the Sultanate of Oman is facing a campaign similar to what Qatar previously experienced, accusations are being made arbitrarily, and smear campaigns are being launched through media outlets and online bots using the vilest descriptions, in an attempt to sway public opinion against it. When the blockade was imposed on Qatar, Oman was among the first countries to reject and condemn it, firmly believing in the principle of non-interference in the affairs of other states and rejecting hostility among brothers.”
Abbas Almaskari, Alroya, (Oman), March 29, 2025.
“Despite the differences among the referenced literatures, they share a common point: an increase in customs tariffs is often the beginning of the decline of a great power, regardless of its time or location. This pattern has been observed in empires such as the Roman, Ottoman, and British, among others. Accordingly, it can be said that reducing taxes on major American corporations while increasing revenues from customs tariffs may initially lead to a boost in the U.S. economy.”
Abdullah Sahar, Alrai, (Kuwait), April 3, 2025.
“The current U.S. narrative explicitly states that its goal is to protect navigation in the Red Sea and prevent the Houthis from disrupting it, not to eliminate the Houthi presence within Yemen, as that is considered an internal Yemeni matter. But can the two truly be separated?”
Mishary Al Dhayidi, Asharq Al Awsat, (Saudi Arabia), April 2, 2025.
“This visit carries numerous implications and signals for the Gulf states in terms of their significance, influence, and weight in the regional and international order. A political reading of Trump's visit to the region suggests that it truly represents a ‘Gulf moment,’ as described in the book "The Gulf Moment in Contemporary Arab History" by Emirati academic, writer, and political analyst Professor Dr. Abdulkhaleq Abdulla.”
Abdulaziz Al Maamari, Albayan, (UAE), April 4, 2025.
“A Zionist terrorist soldier brags and boasts in a live broadcast about her cold-blooded killing of Palestinians. These criminals want nothing but killing, destruction, and continued ethnic cleansing and genocide.”
Mohamed Al Arab, X, (Saudi Arabia), April 3, 2025.
“The beauty of the Emirati narrative on social media is that it is solid, positive, and grounded in the nation's achievements and aspirations. It's a narrative that doesn't lie in wait, lie in wait, or engage in squabbling. Nor does it suffer from an inferiority complex, but rather expresses a calm confidence in a solid path toward the future. And so we believe it will last.”
Anwar Gargash, X, (UAE), April 2, 2025.
Gulf Nashra Picks
Book: AlMutawa, Rana, “Everyday Life in the Spectacular City.” University of California Press, Jan, 2024.
Podcast: “The King Can Do No Wrong” host Marc Lynch hosts guest Marie-France Fortin, Middle East Political Science. March 28, 2025. [Sound Cloud].
Analysis: “Gulf Mediation in the Ukraine Crisis.” Anna L. Jacobs, The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, Apr 1, 2025.
Research: “Saudi Arabia, More Than Just Oil Rents: Reassessing the Rentier State Label.” Yahya Alshamy, King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, March 2025. English [PDF].
Commentary: “Ukraine talks show Saudi Arabia is now a major diplomatic player.” Chatham House, March 24, 2025.
Analysis: “The Struggle Over Mahra.” Ibrahim Jalal, Carnegie, March 24, 2025.
Podcast: “The End of Globalism.” Jadi Podcast, Mar 29, 2025.
Analysis: “Gulf Countries Drive Forward With Electric Vehicles.” Kate Dourian, The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, Mar 28, 2025.
Essay: “Independent Researchers Are Advancing UAE History on Social Media.” Abdulla Almarzooqi, The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, April 2, 2025.
Issue Brief: “EVs and Batteries in the Gulf: Industrial Policy amid Tariff Wars and the Battle for Market Access.” June Park, Middle East Council on Global Affairs, March 2025.
Analysis: “The first two months of Trump 2.0 in the Middle East: Hard push for elusive breakthroughs.” Paul Salem, Middle East Institute, April 1, 2025.
Analysis: “Citizenship Rent and GCC Development Models: A Regional Comparison.” Noria Research, March 26, 2025.