Tourism & Hospitality | Sunday 25 September, 2016 6:00 am |

On the occasion of the Kingdom’s 86th National Day, Saudis and foreign residents expressed feelings of love and gratitude for a country that cares deeply for its inhabitants.

The Saudi National Day is a moment in which all rejoice, a moment in which “we all are Saudis,” one foreign resident said.
Sudanese resident Al-Rasheed Muhammad said Saudi Arabia’s National Day celebration is like that of his own country, with joy and gratefulness “because of the great treatment officials and citizens alike extend to us.”
“We all in this country are one hand that protects it from any aggression or any attempt to tamper with its stability or to intimidate its residents,” he said.
Another Sudanese resident, Naji Abdul Qader, said that Saudi Arabia's National Day is a historic day for Sudanese residents specifically, as "we enjoy comfort, great treatment and security in this country for which we have great love”.
Abdul Qader, 41, said that the National Day is not a celebration limited to the citizens of the Kingdom only, but a joyous time for all the Arab and Islamic nations. It is a day when “we should ask God to preserve the security and stability of this country.”
Yemeni Issam Al-Ameri said the Kingdom’s support for his fellow Yemenis makes them feel they are “the sons of this nation and the Kingdom’s joy is ours as well”.
“We congratulate King Salman and the Saudi citizens on the National Day of a country in which we never felt like outsiders,” he said.
Political and military experts in Egypt meanwhile praised the Kingdom, under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, for its services to the Arab and Muslim world and stance on terrorism.
The experts were quoted as saying by the media on the occasion of the Kingdom’s National Day that King Salman’s stance reflects his wise leadership, which realizes the dangers of terrorist and takfiri groups that pose a serious threat to the region’s security.
Mustafa Al-Fiqi, a political analyst, said that no one can deny the central and leading role played by Saudi Arabia in addressing Muslim and Arab issues, which contributes to greater unity and stability in the region.
The Kingdom always tries to unite Muslims and Arabs, thanks to its political, economic and military weight in the region, he said.
Omro Hashim Rabee, another political expert, said the king fully backs the fight against terrorism and deserves to be commended because his leadership springs from the wise realization about the dangers of the current situation and the dangers of terrorism for the Arab and Islamic nations.
“The Kingdom takes clear and tangible procedures on the ground to face terrorism,” he said, adding that Saudi Arabia has always stood up for the brotherhood of Muslims.
Brig. Gen. Jamal Mathlom also commended the central and leading role of the Kingdom under the leadership of King Salman in serving Arab and Islamic causes. He hailed Saudi Arabia for its continuous support to the Palestinian cause.
He said the Kingdom always defends the region’s security and stands up to dangers that face the area, such as the Houthis. Saudi Arabia did not spare any effort in stopping their expansion in the Arab region.