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From Monday, Saudi Arabia will suspend all flights to and from Toronto. The sudden motion by Saudi Arabian Airlines, follows an online Twitter dispute between the Middle Eastern kingdom, Canadian Foreign Policy and just about the entire world.

Saudi Suspends Canadian Flights

After ‘Foreign Policy Can’ expressed concern about a new spate of women’s rights activists arrests, they were told in no uncertain words to ‘but-out’. And Canada, not known for being the loosest cannon on the ship, essentially did so. However, within hours, the Saudi Arabian Foreign Ministry had escalated the row – seemingly internally – and decided to take action. This began with the expulsion of the Canadian Ambassador and ended (we hope) with a suspension of flights to Toronto.

Why have Saudi Arabian Airlines canceled Saudi and Canadian flights?

Saudi Arabia doesn’t have the best reputation when it comes to human rights. And last weeks remarks by Foreign Policy Can were not an unsurprising response. However, the problem isn’t as straight forward as it seems.

The Tweet refers to women, who previously campaigned for the right to drive, being detained once more. This was surprising development as Saudi Arabia is about to relax legislation on Women Driving. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is seen as a radical reformer who has been stamping out corruption. He’s okay with ladies getting behind the wheel. So what’s going on?

The government is critizising the women’s communication with people online, mostly on Twitter. Via their political activism, people all over the world have reached out to contact these women and they have responded. It has led to an accusation of “suspicious contacts with enemies overseas”. The implication being, the women were spying and colluding. Both of which are just a little bit ridiculous.

Is The Kingdom politically unstable?

The Saudi Arabian Airlines suspension notice is severe. It leaves us wondering two things. Is the Kingdom politically unstable? Can we do business with the KSA uninterrupted?

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For many, this action shows an essential problem in the political system of Saudi Arabia, one which makes it unstable. The Middle Eastern kingdom is still an absolute monarchy. However the Saudi Royal family is so large it often operates in a typically political fashion. Favour builds and wanes as individuals fight for power. But real change is difficult and slow.

Who’s in charge in Saudi Arabia?

Mohammed bin Salman is not the king but he runs Saudi Arabia’s day-to-day government. He is a young charismatic modernist and the one you see visiting foreign nations. When he came to power, he launched a campaign of social and economic change that has been heralded internationally. But what he can’t do is change the absolute monarchy’s total ban on political activism.

That’s right, political activism is completely illegal. And this is why the women have been arrested. Furthermore, in Saudi law, action must be taken in insults against the government. You question policy or demand action, and you will be punished.

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It’s a Kafkaesque situation of box ticking against all common sense and one I imagine makes Mohammed bin Salman shake his head.

We don’t want Canada to give up her political stand point on human rights and we don’t know how Saudi Arabia can back down without losing face. For the foreseeable future flying to KSA from Canada will not be via Saudi Arabian Airlines out of Toronto.