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Confusion in Riyadh after Muslim Brotherhood ban

April 12, 2014 at 9:54 am

Saudi decision-making circles are undergoing a state of extreme confusion following the interior ministry’s statement which outlawed the Muslim Brotherhood and it as a terrorist group, a Saudi source close to the government told Arabi21 website.


The source, which requested anonymity, pointed out that some decision-makers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia believe that the statement was rushed, and that it was mostly a reaction to the situation in Egypt. However, the source added, the statement neglected the interconnectedness of MB and KSA interests on a number of other Arab arenas. “Thus, the KSA’s decision left the door open on questions related to its influence and role in the region, and did not take into account that Riyadh’s interests – despite differences with MB – are tactically interdependent with other Arab countries,” he said.

For instance, the source explained, a number of major players in Saudi decision-making circles are left wondering about the potential impact of that decision on Riyadh’s relations with the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood, given that both agree on the need to overthrow Assad’s regime. In addition, KSA is considered one of the major supporters of the Syrian opposition coalition in which the Muslim Brotherhood is a key element. Accordingly, it remains unclear how the Kingdom would deal with Syrian MB, and whether they would consider them “terrorists” or partners in the battle against Assad.

However, the repercussions of Saudi decision will not be confined to the Syrian conflict, according to the source. Bahrain constitutes another crisis which would be complicated due to the recent decision. The source told Arabi21 that the Muslim Brotherhood is a fundamental ally of the Bahraini Sunni regime against the predominantly Shiite opposition. “Saudi is the real guarantor for the stability of Bahraini regime, since it considers Bahrain a playground for the conflict with Iran.” This raises other questions regarding the impact of Saudi decision on the strength of the Sunni alliance against the Shiite Bahraini opposition which Saudi accuses of subservience to Iran, its foremost rival in the region.

Based on the above, the source believes that Saudi has made a rushed decision to label the Muslim Brotherhood as a “terrorist group” because it did not consider its repercussions on its allies in Bahrain. Furthermore, the source said that Riyadh’s decision would complicate its relations with other Gulf countries such as Kuwait, since Kuwaiti Muslim Brothers are considered an essential part of the political fabric in the country. It is highly unlikely that the Kuwaiti government would emulate Saudi decision, he stressed.

Moreover, some Saudi decision-makers are concerned about the effects of the decision on Saudi’s influence in a number of Arab countries, such as Yemen where the Muslim Brotherhood and its allies are waging a war against the Houthis, who are Saudi enemies. Similarly, Saudi is risking the loss of another significant actor, namely the Tunisian Nahda movement, an intellectual offshoot of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood.

Source: Arab21