The story: Gulf media outlets have diverged in their portrayal of the political crisis in Tunisia, with Emirati and Saudi-linked outlets praising a supposed takedown of Islamists, while Qatari-linked outlets suggest that a coup has taken place. Tunisian President Kais Saied on July 25 suspended parliament and dismissed the prime minister amid growing protests. The Islamist Ennahda movement—the largest party in Tunisia’s parliament—has called the president’s decree unconstitutional.

The coverage: On July 26, the Qatari-linked Al-Araby Al-Jadeed published commentary that depicted...