Sputnik - Qatar may face tougher sanctions on the part of the four Arab states, but the escalation of the diplomatic conflict into a military one is unlikely, Egyptian political experts told Sputnik.


On June 5, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, Yemen and Libya cut diplomatic ties with�Qatar, accusing the Gulf nation of�supporting terrorists and militant groups with�ties to�Iran.


Saudi Arabia closed the crossing at�Qatar's only land border, which Qatar uses to�import about�40 percent of�its food supplies.�Qatar's Arab neighbors�also denied permission for�the national carrier Qatar Airways to�use their airspace, and airline carriers from�the UAE canceled all flights to�Doha.

Iran, with�which Qatar shares a natural gas field in�the Persian Gulf, and Turkey, which has a military base in�Qatar, have sent deliveries of�food and other supplies to�Qatar by�sea.

No Military Conflict in�Sight

Earlier, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain issued an ultimatum, demanding on�Qatar to�reduce the scope of�diplomatic and military relations with�Iran, close�the Turkish military base, give up�alleged financing of�terrorist organizations, refrain from�to interfering in�the domestic affairs of�Arab countries and supporting opposition groups.

According to�the statements of�the Qatari representatives, Doha denies all accusations and does not intend to�fulfill these demands, considering them a violation of�its sovereignty. At the same time, it considers a possibility of�negotiations with�its Arab neighbors.
"A military option is not in�sight. The ball is now on�the side of [�] the Qatari ruling family, whose policy is damaging not only the national security of�the Arab countries, but�also the Qatari people, the security of�the whole Persian Gulf region," former high-ranking diplomat at�the Egyptian Ministry of�Foreign Affairs and expert on�international relations, Red Shekhat told Sputnik.


A similar point of�view was expressed by�former head of�the research center at�Egypt's Nasser Military Academy, General Gamal Mazlum. According to�him, the conflict could go on, but�it is unlikely to�enter the military phase.
"There is no siege of�Qatar, there is only a political and diplomatic boycott, as�well as�sanctions imposed because of�its support of�terrorism in�the region. We are still at�the beginning of�the conflict, but�there is no need to�expect anything more than�economic sanctions," Mazlum said.


New Sanctions?


New sanctions�that Arab countries could impose on�Qatar might include a boycott of�large foreign companies that cooperate with�Qatar and have large investments in�Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain or Egypt, as�well as�countries supporting the anti-Qatar sanctions.


According to�the expert, Qatar could also lose membership in�the Cooperation Council for�the Arab States of�the Gulf. He also did not rule out�the freezing of�Qatar's membership in�the Arab League.
"This would have extremely negative economic, political and military consequences for�Doha," Mazlum said.


Will Other Countries Help?

In order to�resolve the conflict with�its Arab neighbors, Qatar will actively try to�involve global powers such as�the United States, as�well as�its economic partners in�the resolution of�the conflict, Shekhat believes.

However, according to�the expert, large states are unlikely to�interfere or take sides, and would rather confine themselves to�calls for�political dialogue.
In particular, the United States does not view this conflict as�a threat to�Washington's core economic interests in�the region. In the understanding of�the US, this is a regional intra-Arab conflict that will just last for�a while, the diplomat concluded.