May 25 marked the 39th anniversary of the founding of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Across the Gulf, the occasion was welcomed as an opportunity to reflect on how the COVID-19 pandemic might spur and heal an institution – the GCC. June 5 marked the third anniversary of the air, land and sea blockade imposed by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt on Qatar. Over the last weeks, rumours that Doha might be considering leaving the GCC intensified after news of an attempted coup against the Al Thani royal family were shared by Saudi Twitter users and media outlets. It was later dubbed a Saudi-led disinformation campaign aimed at discrediting the royal family. Asked about the veracity of those rumours and the future of the GCC, Qatar’s Deputy Foreign Minister Lolwah al-Khater not only labelled allegation of a Qatari secession “wholly incorrect and baseless”, but […]