Saudi King Salman (L), Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad (R)

The Arab countries currently blockading Qatar have stepped back from their 13 demands to end the crisis, reducing them to six key principles

The Saudi-led block, which also includes the UAE, Egypt, and Bahrain, have accused Qatar of supporting terrorist and extremists groups. They also previously called for the closure of Al Jazeera and other Qatari-funded media ventures. 

Since early June, the four Arab countries have cut diplomatic and commercial ties with Qatar. The original 13 demands were given to Qatar via Kuwait – which is acting as a mediator in the dispute – toward the end of June.

Now, the demands have been significantly walked back, with the four Arab countries saying they want the dispute resolved in a friendly manner, according to the BBC.

Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain have all cut ties with Qatar

The six principles now being pushed include requiring Qatar to commit to combating extremism and terrorism, halting financial assistance and the provision of safe havens for such groups, and suspending all acts of provocation and speeches inciting hatred or violence.

Saudi Arabia’s U.N. Ambassador Abdallah Al-Mouallimi has also said the closure of Al Jazeera is no longer absolutely necessary for the crisis to be resolved.

“If the only way to achieve that is by closing down Al-Jazeera, fine,” Al-Mouallimi has said, according to The Washington Post. “If we can achieve that without closing down Al-Jazeera, that’s also fine. The important thing is the objective and the principle involved.”

Al Jazeera is a central point of tension between the countries

Qatar has maintained that it has not funded terrorists and has not yet responded to the revised demands. The emirate has been feeling the strains of the blockade, being forced to import food by air and sea to meet the needs of its residents. 

However, the emirate has also boasted about its wealth in response to the crisis, saying it has more than enough reserves to weather the spat.

“We have sovereign wealth funds of 250 percent of gross domestic product, we have Qatar Central Bank reserves, and we have a ministry of finance strategic reserve,” Qatar's Finance Minister Ali Sharif al-Emadi said earlier this month, saying this would allow his country to withstand sanctions from its neighbors.