RIYADH – Saudi Arabia to turn Qatar into an Island. The proposed canalwill turn Qatar into an island, erasing the land border between the twoGulf states
Manama: Qatar, a peninsular country, could be turned into an island if aplan by Gulf investors to dig a 60 kilometre-long water canal alongside theborder with Qatar goes ahead.
The planned canal would stretch from Salwa to Khor Al Adeed would be 200metres wide and 15 to 20 metres deep, allowing ships up to 295 metres longand 33 wide to navigate it, Saudi news site Sabq reported.
Several resorts with private beaches large hotels in Salwa, Sakak, Khor AlAdeed and two in Ras Abu Qamees are also being planned.
Seaports will be built in Salwa and in Aqlat Al Zawayed and will complementthe one in Ras Abu Qamees.
Marinas for yachts and water sports will be built on the two banks of thecanal, making it one of the most attractive in the Gulf region.
The project would cost SR2.8 billion and, if approved, could start withinone year.
According to Sabq, the canal will be inside the Saudi territory, making itfully Saudi, and will be about one kilometre from the official boundarieswith Qatar.
The plan will be presented to relevant entities, including the Ministry ofDefence and the Border Police.
On Sunday, Sabq reported that the project would be funded fully by Saudiand UAE private investors and that Egyptian companies with expertise indigging would help with the construction of the canal.
A Saudi military base will be established on part of the one-kilometre sideseparating the Salwa water way from Qatar, while the remainder will beconverted into a waste dump for the Saudi nuclear reactor, which Riyadhplans to build according to best practices and global environmentalrequirements.
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt on June 5 severedtheir diplomatic, trade and travel ties with Qatar, accusing it ofsupporting extremists and funding terrorism.
The Quartet issued a list of 13 demands and asked Qatar to comply with themin order to restore the ties.