Alwaght- The Saudi regime has permanently closed its only land border with Qatar, which continues to be blockaded by the kingdom and two of its other Persian Gulf neighbors.
According to a document issued by Saudi Arabia's customs directorate on Tuesday, the Salwa border gate had been shut permanently since Monday night.
The letter said Saudi officials ordered the closure. The move comes as a worsening diplomatic crisis nears eight months.
The gate was first closed two weeks after Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain cut diplomatic and trade ties with Qatar followed by a land, sea and air blockade on June 5.
Later on June 22, the blockading block, issued a 13-point list of demands, including the shutdown of Al Jazeera TV, limiting ties with Iran, and expelling Turkish troops stationed in the country as a prerequisite to lifting the blockade. Qatar rejected all the demands, denouncing them as attempts to violate its sovereignty.
The border was then reopened for two weeks in August for pilgrims who wished to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage to pass through.
At the time, Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani welcomed the move, but said it was a "politically motivated decision".
Although officially well-received by Qatar, the move had sparked outrage from Qatari citizens on social media, who demanded the siege be lifted entirely.
