Explaining Qatar’s Foreign Policy Towards the Syrian Crisis (2011-2017)

Syria, which by the end of 2010 was one of the most stable and influential countries in the Middle East has become one of the most destabilized, vulnerable and critical centers of conflict and regional and international competition since the beginning of 2011. The crisis has become one of the most difficult and complex Middle Eastern crises since World War II, due to the plurality and diversity of influential actors at the three domestic, regional and international levels. Qatar is one of the most influential regional actors and major contributors to the conflict in Syria. Qatar’s foreign policy was initially unclear and vague towards the internal unrest in Syria. Qatar initially was dissatisfied with the violent activities and protests of the people and stood beside Bashar al-Assad, but Doha changed its policy after some time. It took a stance against Bashar al-Assad and supported the opponents of the system. Using an analytical-descriptive approach, this paper seeks to answer the question of why Qatar has adopted aggressive foreign policy towards the Syrian crisis based on library resources. The research hypothesis is that Qatar has adopted an aggressive approach in its foreign policy towards the Syrian crisis with the aim of increasing its regional strength and highlighting its image and role internationally.