Washington’s Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said she sees the Gulf crisis as an opportunity to influence both Saudi and Qatari policies.

At a hearing on Tuesday and Wednesday, Haley answered the questions of lawmakers on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Asked by Congressman Bill Keating about her position on the Qatar blockade, amid conflicting statements from the Trump administration, Haley said, the crisis is a chance to let Doha know that the US objects to its support for groups like Hamas.

“But at the same time, go back to Saudi Arabia and say: ‘Look, you can talk to them (the Qataris), but at the same time, you’ve got to cut this out; you’ve got to stop doing this’,” she continued. “It’s an opportunity to kind of hit on both of them.”

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and United Arab Emirates have cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, closing their borders, airspace and territorial waters to Qatari ships and airplanes.

President Donald Trump voiced full support to Saudi Arabia, accusing Doha of funding terrorism at a “very high level”.

Source: Agencies