Saudi regime demolishing the houses of the citizens of Jeddah

According to a report by Al-Madina newspaper, the Saudis are protesting the demolition of their neighborhoods and homes, calling it part of their history.

Activists on Twitter in Saudi Arabia posted videos of the sudden demolition of houses in Jeddah, which angered many, who staeter trending on social media with the hashtags #jeddah_wipeout, #JeddahAmanah, #هدد_جدة and so on, emphasizing on the point that a humanitarian, social, and economic catastrophe would affect at least more than a million people.

One of the users wrote: "The tragedy and the suffering of the people in Jeddah is increasing day by day."

Maj. Gen. Salih al-Jabri, Mecca's police chief, gave the reason for the demolition of Jeddah residents' homes as follows: "Slums have become safe havens for drug traffickers." At the same time, there is no confirmed evidence of drug sales in Jeddah.

Middle East Eye wrote in a report: The displacement has caused a housing crisis, with rental prices skyrocketing across the city. In some cases, rents have doubled in a matter of days, residents say, and many aren’t able to afford them.

Online footage and satellite images showed the widescale destruction of entire neighborhoods, which have been turned into dust. Drone footage shows vast areas filled with nothing but rubble. Residents compared the scenes to a war zone.

It's part of a plan to rid the city of "slums" and unplanned settlements ahead of a series of grand redevelopment projects, according to pro-government news outlet Sabq. 

At least 10 neighborhoods have been completely wiped out so far, as work continues in around another 10 areas. The plan targets some 60 districts mostly located in the city’s southern part and is expected to continue for months.  

But residents say the demolitions have taken them by surprise and given them little to no room to plan their relocation or say goodbye to the neighborhoods they've lived in for generations.

To make matters worse, residents say the authorities have not put them in temporary government housing or offered any compensation, effectively turning many from homeowners to renters.

In December, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, announced plans to build "Jeddah Central", a project that aims to create a "world-class destination overlooking the Red Sea" in the city's north.

The project, which will cost around $20bn and be built in the "heart of Jeddah", will include an opera house, a museum, a sports stadium and an aquarium. A "world-class marina and stunning beach resorts" will also be built, along with 17,000 residential units and hotels that offer more than 2,700 rooms.

With little time to leave, in some cases as short as 24 hours, residents have been left scrambling to move their belongings and find a new place to live. Once the eviction deadline passes, electricity and water services are cut off.

Saudi officials are demolishing houses and displacing residents under the pretext of developing the city, while dozens of projects started in Jeddah for years and have not yet been completed.

It seems that the Saudi government is determined to continue the campaign to demolish the declared neighborhoods, regardless of the situation of dissatisfaction of its residents.

A project in central Jeddah, under the custody of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, will replace these neighborhoods, and he, with a budget of approximately $ 500 billion, sees the project as a victory over the slums.