The Muslim Brotherhood (MB) might be going through the hardest phase in its history, as the group faces strong opposition from both the Egyptian government and the monarchies of the Arab Gulf states, the former allies of the brotherhood during the 50s. Qatar, a major former ally of the MB, has bowed to the pressure exerted by fellow Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, (UAE), for a suspension of its support of the MB, pending reconciliation with Egypt. In view of the strong ties between Egypt and the Gulf States, the current environment makes it impossible for the MB to maintain their previous level of social and political influence in the Arab Gulf. In its early days, the Brotherhood had strong ties with the monarchies of the Gulf, where its members sought refuge at the time of the crackdown on Brotherhood members in Egypt and Syria during the Nasser era. The Brotherhood formed political entities to contest the parliamentary polls in the Gulf. However, their influence was quickly eliminated by the Salafist groups who introduced the concept of political Islam in the 80s. The political Salafist groups managed to increase their influence with the younger generation throughout the 90s of the last century and at the start of the 21st Century. They were a threat to the MB whose influence had receded in Egypt and the Gulf states because it had fallen into the trap of stagnation. The strict policies and secrecy of the MB have driven the youth to adopt parallel ideologies, based on independent expression of opinion and direct political confrontation. They joined the Gulf opposition organizations which emerged at the time of the Arab spring uprisings in 2011. In 2002, Saudi Arabia's then Minister of the Interior, Nayef bin Abdelaziz Al Saud, blamed all of the country's problems on the MB's betrayal, as a reaction to the Brotherhood's opposition to the ruling family during the 90s. The younger generation in the UAE and Kuwait was less sympathetic to the MB. On the other hand, the Qatari leadership continued to support the MB's presence in the Middle East and the Gulf countries, while Bahrain used the group to counter the Shiite opposition. MB affiliated organizations in the UAE and Kuwait have joined groups calling for political reforms which include elections for membership of the Federal National Council (FNC) and the UAE Shura Council, the resignation of Kuwait's Prime Minister and the expansion of Parliamentary powers. The UAE prosecuted nearly 100 Emirati members of the MB's affiliate group, Al Islah, who were charged with forming a secret organization, funding a terrorist organization – in reference to the Brotherhood - and plotting to overthrow the regime. The MB members strongly criticized Gulf support for the Egyptian government, in the wake of President Mohamed Morsi's ouster on June 30, 2013 following mass protests. The rising wave of criticism compelled the Saudi government to adopt a new anti-terrorism law in 2014, designating the MB in Saudi Arabia as a terrorist group and banning its activities. The UAE did the same and issued its own anti-terror law in 2014, declaring the MB a terrorist organization. The Brotherhood's involvement in funding and supporting terrorist attacks in Egypt led the GCC countries to withdraw their ambassadors and threaten an economic blockade in order to pressure Qatar to end its support of the MB and to extradite the group's fugitive leaders who had fled Egypt and gone to Qatar, when Morsi was ousted. The GCC security agreement stipulates cooperation to hunt down and take the relevant action against those who violate the law or the system, or who are wanted by other states, whatever their nationality. On the basis of this agreement, the support provided by the MB leaders in the Gulf to help the group launch its terrorist attacks against security forces and civilians in Egypt, was criminalized. The decision of the MB's political wing in Kuwait, the Islamic Constitutional Movement (ICM), to boycott the parliamentary elections after the electoral law was amended in 2012, has prevented the Brotherhood from having a presence in the opposition, through their representatives in the Kuwaiti Parliament. This greatly undermines the group's political influence on Kuwaiti politics. In Bahrain, the Salafist movements secured more than 50% of the seats in the parliament in 2014, reducing the MB's political influence. In Kuwait, the Salafists have maintained good relations with both the ruling family and the government. MB affiliated organizations in the Gulf face an uncertain future, as the Gulf countries gradually adopt more hostile policies against the Brotherhood in response to its logistic and financial support of the insurgency in Egypt and the Arab states. Gulf countries have adopted more social strategies to counter the influence of MB organizations within their communities. The UAE established the Muslim Council of Elders, an independent global Islamic entity that aims to boost peace in the Arab and Muslim world by reducing violence through reconciling opposing parties in Muslim societies. In conclusion, it seems that the future of the Brotherhood in the Arab world, especially in the Gulf states is doomed, as the group's policy of secrecy, its constant attempts to topple the Arab regimes and its political opportunism have resulted in the Gulf states adopting new political and social strategies to counter the once broad impact of the MB's corrupt policies in the region.
