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Coronavirus Upends Eid Traditions in Saudi Arabia

Streets are deserted in Saudi Arabia amid curfew imposed over the coronavirus. (SPA)
Streets are deserted in Saudi Arabia amid curfew imposed over the coronavirus. (SPA)
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Coronavirus Upends Eid Traditions in Saudi Arabia

Streets are deserted in Saudi Arabia amid curfew imposed over the coronavirus. (SPA)
Streets are deserted in Saudi Arabia amid curfew imposed over the coronavirus. (SPA)

The coronavirus has imposed a certain standstill in Saudi streets and has deprived the Kingdom of the movement that was always part of Eid al-Fitr holiday tradition. The virus has contravened Eid rituals and turned family visits into virtual ones. It limited gifts to shipping services under social distancing. Many families have opted to hold a very restricted celebration by gathering members of each family in one house without breaking precautionary measures.

Ten days after the Ministry of Interior announced curfew during the holiday to prevent the spread of the virus, people started to plan for the celebration in line with the social distancing norms.

With these precautionary measures, Eid rituals this year are likely to be digital with people celebrating on social media and “visiting” relatives via video call applications.

Family gatherings are usually the cornerstone of Eid celebrations. The morning is full of visits as people set schedules and prioritize what houses to head to first, often with the younger generation visiting the older relatives. By noon, everybody will have returned home exhausted after a long morning of visits, ushering the calmest of times in Saudi Arabia as streets empty and people rest.

In this regard, Abdul Hakim al-Darees said his Eid preparations are all about voice and video calls and shipping services that he hopes will deliver sweets and gifts to relatives and friends without having to leave the house under curfew.

He compared celebrating Eid to a "cell center" employee, making dozens of calls in a short period of time to family and friends.

Abdul Aziz al-Ajlan, on the other hand, said he and his family have decided to celebrate Eid in a very restricted way by bringing relatives to one household without breaking the preventive measures.

While Saudis will be celebrating Eid on a very limited scale, the Ministry of Health will continue virus testing during the holiday. Security forces will also continue to patrol streets and neighborhoods to implement a total lockdown that starts on Saturday and ends on Wednesday.

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Desperate for Cash, Gazans Sell Clothes Plucked from Rubble

Desperate for Cash, Gazans Sell Clothes Plucked from Rubble
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Desperate for Cash, Gazans Sell Clothes Plucked from Rubble

Desperate for Cash, Gazans Sell Clothes Plucked from Rubble

Moein Abu Odeh clambered up a pile of rubble in southern Gaza, searching for clothes, shoes, anything he could sell to raise cash more than a year since Israel started its relentless bombardments.

The father-of-four delved under blocks and brushed away piles of concrete dust at the site of one airstrike in the wrecked city of Khan Younis. His plan was to sell what he found to buy flour.

"If food and drink were available, believe me, I would give (these clothes) to charity," he said. "But the struggles we are going through (mean we) have to sell our clothes to eat and drink."

Widespread shortages and months of grinding war have generated a trade in old clothing, much of it salvaged from the homes of people who have died in the conflict.

At one makeshift market, shoes, shirts, sweaters and sneakers were laid out on dusty blankets, Reuters reported.

A girl tried on a single worn-out boot, which could come in handy this winter if she can afford it in Gaza's ruined economy.

A trader got an edge on his competitors by shouting out that his wares were European.

One man laughed as he got a young boy to try on a green jacket.

"We get clothing from a man whose house was destroyed. He was digging in the concrete to get some (clothing) and we buy them like this and sell them at a good price," displaced Palestinian Louay Abdel-Rahman said.

He and his family arrived in the city from another part of Gaza with only the clothes they were wearing. So he also keeps some back for them. "The seasons have changed from summer to winter and we need clothing," he said.

In April, the UN estimated it would take 14 years to dispose of the wreckage in Gaza. The UN official overseeing the problem said the clean-up would cost at least $1.2 billion.

More than 128,000 buildings have been destroyed or severely or moderately damaged in Gaza as a result of the conflict, the UN says. Underneath all of that are seams of mangled clothes.

"All our children only have short-sleeve clothing and nobody is helping them," Saeed Doula, a father-of-seven, said. "The war is all-encompassing."