Saudi Media Policy towards Qatar(Case Study: Doha Sanctions Period 2017-2021)

On June 5, 2017, opposition to the boycott of the Palestinian-Brotherhood Hamas and Hezbollah sparked tensions between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, following the publication of remarks by the Emir of Qatar on Al Jazeera's website about Iran's positive role in the region. Qatar's non-retreat from its positions exacerbated the crisis and eventually led to the severance of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the siege of Qatar by Saudi Arabia. This study aims to understand the media policy of Saudi Arabia regarding Qatar during the crisis and siege (2017-2021). To achieve this goal, Saudi Arabia's media policy from 2017 to 2021 has been studied using the qualitative content analysis method. For this purpose, the content of the websites of Al-Arabiya networks, the Twitter accounts of the Saudi Minister of Information and A'iz Al-Qarni and Al-Arifi as well-known claims of Saudi Arabia, the websites of Al-Hayah and Al-Okaz newspapers were examined as a statistical sample in the period 2017 to 2021. The findings of this study show that the Saudi media, following the policy and policy of Muhammad bin Salman's political system and using various propaganda techniques such as testimony, lies, repetition and assassination, widely assassinated the Emir of Qatar, religious and political justification of the siege. They have adopted the country and the introduction of Doha as a sponsor of terrorism.