Qatar crisis separating families

Sanctions and a Saudi-led campaign to isolate Qatar have resulted in the division of a number of families, some of those affected have told the Hürriyet Daily News. 

The Arab countries that have moved against Doha, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, have called on their citizens living in Qatar to return, warning them that they would be stripped of their citizenship if they do not obey.

Economist Faraj al-Mohammad said the most saddening issue was the separation of families.

"The fact that Saudi Arabia closes the border and imposes economic embargo doesn't bother us, since we can source all kinds of food and items. However, the separation of families upsets us the most," al-Mohammad told daily Hürriyet.

"Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait are connected to each other with tribes, kinship and marriages. Now they have dispersed this family. They won't allow me to see my nieces in Bahrain or grandchildren in Dubai. No one has the right to do that to us," he said.

The Gulf region was "a major family divided in six countries, but now it's been torn apart," he said.
Engineer Ibrahim al-Sweydi, meanwhile, complained about not being able to see his relatives due to the severed ties between Qatar and many other countries.

"I have relatives in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Eid al-Fitr is approaching and we normally would visit each other, but now we can't do so," al-Sweydi said.

Retired soldier Hasan al-Mohammad felt the severing of ties inside his family, with his wife, a Bahraini citizen, being obliged to return to her country after Manama recalled their citizens from Qatar.
 "My wife is from Bahrain and our four...