Alwaght- Qatar has expressed concerns over the security and safety of its citizens in Saudi Arabia as many are crossing the border to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage.
Qatar’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani has said Doha is concerned about the safety of its citizens in Saudi adding that Saudi authorities had yet not responded to queries from Qatar’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs regarding the security of its citizens during the Hajj rituals.’
“The Saudi authorities have yet to respond to queries from the Qatari Ministry of Islamic Affairs regarding the security of Qatari citizens during Hajj,” the Minister said. Al Thani was speaking at a news conference yesterday with Norway’s Foreign Minister Borge Brende in Oslo, Norway.
The Minister said “The level of tension between the two nations, the language and the tone of the Saudi media spreading hatred against Qatari people represents a great concern for us.”
“Those people crossing the border right now are under the responsibility of the Saudi authorities for their security and safety,” the Foreign Minister added.
He noted that “more than 100” Qatari pilgrims had crossed the border to Saudi Arabia since the reopening of border on Thursday. Qatar has welcomed Saudi Arabia’s decision to reopen the Salwa border crossing, also known as Abu Samrah, to Hajj pilgrims, but called it “politically motivated.”
Since 5 June, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE and Egypt cut diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar, which they accuse of supporting what they call extremist groups, including Palestinian Hamas resistance movement and the Muslim Brotherhood, as well as having close ties with neighboring Iran.
Qatar has defended itself against the accusation saying the groups are not extremist, while insisting on having good ties with Iran.
The Saudi-led block later issued demands that Qatar must meet before ties are restored including curtailing its support for the Muslim Brotherhood, shutting down the al-Jazeera TV channel, closing a Turkish military base in Doha and downgrading its ties with neighboring Iran. Qatar rejected the demands arguing they are illogical and infringe on its sovereignty.
