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Khalid Al-Jaber

Executive Director

Bio

Khalid Al-Jaber is the Executive Director of the Middle East Council on Global Affairs. He is a distinguished scholar and practitioner specializing in political communication and Middle East and North Africa (MENA) affairs. Al Jaber has held prominent leadership positions, including Director of Al-Sharq Studies & Research Center and Editor-in-Chief of The Peninsula, Qatar’s leading English-language daily newspaper.

He also served as an Assistant Professor of Political Communication in the Gulf Studies Program at Qatar University, where he made significant contributions to the academic and policy discourse on regional and international issues.

Al-Jaber’s research focuses on the Gulf and MENA region, with expertise spanning political science, public diplomacy, international communications, and international relations. He is the author and editor of several books and numerous scholarly articles.

He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Leicester, a Master’s degree from the University of West Florida, and postgraduate diplomas from Fordham University, Stanford University, and Georgetown University.

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Articles

Reframing the Gulf Regional Security Architecture 
As regional tensions intensify, Gulf states are reconsidering their long-standing security arrangements with Washington and pushing for a relationship that better reflects their interests and strategic autonomy.
Khalid Al-Jaber
Iran’s Regional Gamble and Its Implications for the Future of Gulf Security 
Iran’s retaliation following U.S.–Israeli strikes reflects a strategic miscalculation that risks undermining Gulf neutrality and weakening regional mediation efforts, thereby complicating prospects for de-escalation.
Khalid Al-Jaber
Between War and Dialogue: Can a U.S.–Iran Confrontation Be Prevented?
In the delicate space between war and dialogue, the role of GCC member states is best understood as one of containment.
Khalid Al-Jaber
Trump 2.0 and the Gulf's Strategic Future
Gulf states enjoyed positive relations with Trump the first time around. But a different geopolitical landscape poses new challenges for the relationship.
Khalid Al-Jaber
The Importance of Diplomacy: How Qatari Mediation is Impacting Gaza
Throughout the ongoing Gaza war, Qatar has emerged as an outsized power in attempting to reach a peace agreement—and has become a prime target for criticism in the process. 
Khalid Al-Jaber, Ambassador Patrick Theros

Publications

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April 12, 2026
Gulf Countries -
Post-War Dynamics: The Gulf at the Center of a New World Order

This policy note examines how Gulf states can transition from traditional security dependence to a diversified, proactive strategy shaping the post-war regional and global order.

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March 12, 2026
Gulf Countries - Middle East -
The Limits of Neutrality for Gulf States in the U.S.–Israel–Iran War

A policy analysis exploring how the U.S.–Israel–Iran war is redefining Gulf neutrality, deterrence strategies, and regional security architecture.

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