Middle East Focus-Arabia Deserta: Suspicious Fires of Hejaz…………….

Arabia Deserta

Suspicious Fires of Hejaz…………….

“The Red Sea port city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia’s second largest urban enclave, has ambitious plans to list its historical district among Unesco’s World Heritage Sites to increase tourism revenues. However, with its Al Balad district losing seven historical buildings a year on average since 1980, the task has become more challenging for local authorities. The number of houses classified as being of historical interest has gone down to 350 in 2009 from 557 in 1980, according to Jeddah municipality figures, and last week, the district lost seven houses in one day after they collapsed in a devastating fire. “The situation in Al Balad district is alarming and needs immediate treatment,” said Sami Nawar, the former director of the Historic Area Preservation Department, who is now head of tourism and culture for Jeddah………..”

Recently, blocks of these same historical houses have been destroyed in suspicious fires. If it continues at this rate, they will all be gone, and suddenly some potentate will have access to the land to build commercial properties. Historical houses and structures, some dating back to early Islam, have been destroyed in Mecca and Madinah for commercial goals. This same bad film has been repeated in the past.
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