Will improved relations with Qatar lead to more military cooperation? January 15 Camels are shown in the Hofuf desert, east of the Saudi capital Riyadh, near the border with Qatar. Qatar and Saudi Arabia recently reopened their land border as they restored ties. (Fayez Nureldine/AFP via Getty Images) BEIRUT — Six Gulf states and Egypt have signed what has been dubbed the al-Ula agreement, ending a rift with Qatar that lasted more than three years. With signs that diplomatic relations are improving, regional analysts are wondering if joint military cooperation between the signatories is next. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, along with Bahrain and Egypt, severed commercial and diplomatic ties with Qatar in 2017, accusing the state of cozying up to Iran and financing extremist groups in the region. Doha denied the charges, criticizing the boycott as a bid to subvert its sovereignty.