Despite Regional Concerns Jeddah Residents and Visitors Seem Confident

JEDDAH: Friends meeting up for the weekend, traffic on busy highways, and residents going to work and college have proceeded as usual in Jeddah, despite regional tensions, said individuals in the city.

Residents told Arab News that life was continuing as normal and that they felt safe in the beachfront city. “I didn’t stop going to college, I didn’t stop meeting my friends. Everything was normal,” said Ahmad Nadeem, a Pakistani national who was born and raised in Jeddah.

“Life in Jeddah is proceeding normally everything feels calm and normal,” said Saudi national Ahlam Alhindi. “I feel generally safe living here and I’m happy that we can still go about our daily lives and not worry too much. I am thankful for the safety and stability in Saudi Arabia.”

For many long-term expats, Jeddah is home, and their confidence in the city comes from years of day-to-day life there. Life went on as usual for residents of Al-Balad’s old streets, the Corniche and the busy lanes of Tahlia. Those we spoke to described days that had changed little.

Egyptian Fayez Ibrahim, 52, moved to Saudi Arabia at age three and said his routine stayed the same every day. He continued working, frequenting local markets, and drawing on decades of life in the Kingdom to express his sense of security.

“I’ve been living here almost my whole life and I am thankful to this country,” he remarked. “I have confidence in the government. They’re doing everything they can to keep folks safe.

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