Both Emiratis and Saudis have taken to Twitter with words of mutual love after the Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz visited Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
During King Salman’s first stop during his tour of four neighboring Gulf allies, he was met by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
In one particular viral photo, the Saudi King appears to raise his hand to join in with with folk dancers performing as part of the Sheikh Zayed Cultural Festival.
في ضحكة الملك سلمان هذه وتفاعله رسالة واضحة شديدة التعبير ونبيلة وأخوية للإمارات، تقول: أفراحكم أفراحنا، مصيرنا واحد وخليجنا واحد. pic.twitter.com/5YVOJTY80d
— علي بن تميم (@3litamim) December 4, 2016
In this smile of King Salman, and in his participation, there is a clear, powerfully expressed and noble message of brotherhood for Emiratis. It says: your joy is our joy. Our fate is one, and our Gulf is united.
A Saudi media editor.
هنا اللحمه الصادقة
— أحمد خليفة (@_A_khalifa) December 4, 2016
هنا لا اجندات ولا طمع ولا مصلحه
هنا الاخوه الخالصة !!#مهرجان_زايد_التراثي#الملك_سلمان pic.twitter.com/dMgLNrRa1w
This is the bond of friendship. Here, there are no agendas, no greed, and no intention to benefit. Here, there is only brotherhood.
An Emirati commentator.
تفاعل حبيبنا ورائدنا الملك سلمان مع الاهازيج الاماراتيه المرددة أسمه الكريم جسدت قمة المحبه والسعادة والتقدير pic.twitter.com/He03WFreWp
— أحمد المغلوث (@AlmaghlouthA) December 4, 2016
The participation of our beloved and our guide, King Salman, in the trilling of Emirati songs: his great name has represented the height of affection, happiness and estimation.
Another Saudi writer.
An Emirati commentator even shared a video of the King’s movements with the music:
تفاعل جميل من ضيف البلاد الكبير #الملك_سلمان أثناء مشاركته قادة #الإمارات #مسيرة_الانحاد #مهرجان_الشيخ_زايد_التراثي
— د. هلال الكعبي (@helalkaabi) December 4, 2016
pic.twitter.com/A5lvB4zYxd
Lovely interaction from our country's great guest #KingSalman while visiting the leaders of the UAE
Meanwhile, another Emirati, the preacher at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, shared these words of respect:
أعتب على الإعلام حينما قال : سافر الملك سلمان خارج المملكة لدولة الإمارات
— وسيم يوسف (@waseem_yousef) December 4, 2016
.
بل نقول : لم يسافر بل جاء لوطنه و شعبه فالإمارات و السعودية واحد
I admonish the media for saying: King Salman traveled outside the Kingdom, to the United Arab Emirates. They should say: he did not travel [abroad] but instead came to his homeland and his people; the UAE and Saudi Arabia are one.
These gushing social media comments are definitely on-message, as the Saudi King was awarded the Zayed medal by Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed during the visit, in recognition of his role in promoting fraternal cooperation and Gulf/Arab joint action.
The Sheikh added that the unity of the two nations goes far beyond diplomatic ties, describing Saudi Arabia as the “long pole” in the Arab tent.
From the Saudi side, Dr Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Bishr, Saudi ambassador to the UAE, emphasized shared values, traditions and religion between the two peoples.
As well as many business and diplomatic ties between the two countries, the UAE is a member of the Saudi-led coalition which is currently engaged in fighting Houthi rebels in Yemen, in support of the government of President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. The conflict has so far killed over 10,000 civilians.
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