Elated Qataris stream into Saudi after border re-opened

Salwa border crossing, Saudi Arabia    –   Qataris celebrated crossing their border with Saudi Arabia Sunday, calling the kingdom “our second country”, as Doha readied its strict coronavirus measures for Saudis to enter following a Gulf diplomatic thaw.

Drivers arrived at the Salwa border crossing in Saudi Arabia, 500 kilometres (310 miles) east of the capital Riyadh, from the Qatari land crossing at Abu Samrah for the second day following its re-opening, AFP correspondents reported.

Saudi Arabia shut its side of Qatar’s only land border in June 2017 as part of a package of sanctions it said was a response to Doha’s backing of radical Islamist groups and closeness to Iran.

Qatar always denied the charges.

Saudi Arabia, along with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt, all of which had also imposed embargoes on travel and trade, agreed to lift the restrictions at a Gulf Cooperation Council summit in the kingdom on Tuesday.

“Coming from Qatar is like coming to our second country, where there’s no difference between them and us in their traditions,” said Mohammed al-Marri, a Qatari who had travelled into Saudi Arabia.

Since the re-opening of the border, 167 Qatari cars had entered Saudi Arabia, while 35 Qatari vehicles had crossed back into Qatar, said Ali Lablabi, general manager of Salwa’s customs department.

“This happiness — no one can describe it,” said Ghaith al-Marri, a Qatari. “There are people who started crying” when the border re-opened, he said. 

Qatar Airways and Saudi Airlines announced Saturday on Twitter that they would begin resuming flights between their countries from Monday. Qatar has announced strict coronavirus control measures for those arriving from Saudi Arabia.