Tensions between Qatar and the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had escalated during the Arab Spring of 2011, when the two sides seemed to have backed different sides. In 2017, Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and UAE issued a list of demands to Qatar which included shutting down the TV network Al Jazeera, downgrading diplomatic ties with Iran and to stop its alleged support to certain “terrorist groups”.
