Cascading turnarounds, on the sly, and a bit like a disaster. Since the start of the year, Saudi Arabia has been stepping up its actions towards the new American administration, in the hope of containing the emerging cold with its most important ally. The release on Wednesday (February 10) of feminist Loujain Al-Hathloul is the latest decision in a series of hastily introduced concessions and reforms, such as lifting the blockade on Qatar and the moratorium on executions of minors.
These measures are intended to restore the image of Crown Prince Mohammed Ben Salman, alias “MBS”, the strongman of the crown, vis-à-vis the new occupant of the White House, Joe Biden, more attentive than his predecessor Donald Trump on the question of human rights. This concern materialized especially on the issue of the war in Yemen, a conflict in which Saudi Arabia has been bogged down for six years, and which Joe Biden described as “Humanitarian and strategic disaster”.
The Democratic President has announced the end of American logistical support for Saudi operations in this country and the temporary suspension of contracts for the sale of arms to the kingdom. Joe Biden also revoked a last-minute measure by Donald Trump: the designation of the Houthis, the pro-Iranian Yemeni militia fought by Riyadh, as a terrorist entity. These rulers on the fingers, which have tightened the Saudi power, are forcing it to make a hasty politico-diplomatic repositioning.
“An Obama 3”
The maneuvers began in early January, with the lifting of the trade and diplomatic embargo imposed since 2017, by Arabia and its Emirati and Bahraini allies, on the city-state of Qatar. These sanctions, intended to force the small gas peninsula to break with Iran, and to stop supporting Islamist formations in the region, were canceled overnight, without Doha giving in to its freedom of diplomatic action. Neither Riyadh, nor Abu Dhabi, nor Manama have reopened their embassy in the principality to date, a sign that the tension remains high. But Qatar Airways planes are flying freely again, and the Gulf Cooperation Council has found a front unit.
In January and February, Saudi Arabia released three Saudi-US detainees, whose cases were being closely monitored by the State Department. These binationals had been victims of the waves of arrests launched by “MBS” against any person expressing a disagreement with the official line. Another breakthrough: earlier this week, the death sentences handed down against three members of the Shiite minority who participated in anti-government protests in 2012 were commuted to ten years in prison.
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