Part two of our landmark series on the dispute
A year after the diplomatic rift that saw the Arab Quartet cut all relations with Qatar over its support for terrorism, a resolution does not appear to be in sight.
Over the past few months, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain have said they are willing to extend their boycott indefinitely.
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir said the standoff with Qatar would continue until Doha decided to make amends.
Mr Al Jubeir stated his country’s willingness to drag out the boycott, continuing to apply pressure until Qatar changed.
“The ball is in their court,” he said in February.
Dr Anwar Gargash, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, has said that the Qatar boycott could “last years”.
Both sides of the conflict have maintained a status quo that has led to consequences, some of which have been beneficial.
Bahrain, for example, said its rates of terrorist attacks had dropped significantly since the boycott began.
“Of all the Gulf countries, we have the most historical disagreements with Qatar, but we are always trying to convince the brothers of the size of the problems we face,” said Bahraini Foreign Minister, Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed.
Meanwhile, Qatar has been forced to find new, more expensive trade routes and sources and provide extra support to its local economy to try to cover the premium it has had to pay by having basics flown in for its population after Saudi closed its border.
Doha has developed closer ties with Iran and Turkey, and neighbours Oman and Kuwait, who have acted as the mediators throughout the year-long crisis.
In doing so, Qatar has further isolated itself from the Quartet.
The four Arab nations are willing to drag out the boycott until Doha agrees to fulfil their demands
The two sides came close to a breakthrough in September, when Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim called Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to speak about the need for dialogue.
But shortly afterwards, Saudi Arabia suspended its dialogue with Qatar after Doha distorted the facts about the call to Prince Mohammed.
Washington, has been indecisive during the crisis.
Former secretary of state Rex Tillerson was sitting on the fence but called for a swift resolution for the sake of regional security, particularly in relation to Iran’s influence.
Mr Tillerson was later fired by US President Donald Trump and replaced with Mike Pompeo.