WITH the Syrian conflict showing no signs of abating, the declaration by Qatar’s new amir that he rejects the Arab world’s division along sectarian lines deserves to be welcomed. The new ruler is 33-year-old Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, who became the oil-rich emirate’s monarch after his father, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, abdicated in his favour — a rare pheno-menon in the Arab world. The former monarch and his prime minister, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem, had played in the affairs of the Arab world a role that was out of proportion with Qatar’s demographic and geographical reality. On Syria, the former monarch had aligned his policies with those of Saudi Arabia and come out decisively in favour of the rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad’s government. With Iran and Hezbollah on the side of the Damas-cus regime, the ‘Arab Spring’ character of the Syrian conflict acquired a sectarian colour.

The new monarch has changed his team of advisers. Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem, who besides being prime minister was once foreign minister, has been replaced by Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasir, while Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Khalid al-Attiyah has been made foreign minister. The cabinet shake-up arouses hope that there could perhaps be some changes in Qatar’s Syria policy. With the clout of Qatar’s oil power, Sheikh Tamim has a chance of pursuing a policy of genuine neutrality toward Syria. The injection of sectarianism into the 26-month-old conflict has sharpened the polarisation in Syria, defied a solution and added to the country’s misery. Qatar can help end the agony of the Syrian people by using its influence, along with that of Saudi Arabia and Turkey, to bring all parties to the conflict to the negotiating table.