The Twitter account @softwarnews posted a post criticizing Saudi Arabia on Sunday (November 26th). The post featured an image of men in traditional Middle Eastern attire preparing their dogs for a race. It included an attention-grabbing caption:
“Dog Festival in Saudi Arabia. The Muslim, Jewish, and Christian worlds are busy with the #GazaGenocide while Arab princes, officials, politicians, and businessmen are busy with the dog festival,” the account’s administrator wrote (source).
A search of the image revealed that the uploaded photo was not an event held in Saudi Arabia. Instead, the image was identical to a Saluki dog race in the United Arab Emirates. It wasn’t taken recently, but in 2010 (source).
Referring to a post on the website saudinesia.id, similar posts are said to have appeared before. The goal is claimed to be to shape negative Muslim perceptions of Saudi Arabia, labeling its people as Wahhabis (source).
In the same post, the author mentions that the UAE has many communities of other religions, such as Jews, Christians, and Copts. “It’s true that they’re Arab, but not necessarily Muslim!” the author stated in his narrative.
According to the author, the attire of men of other faiths in the UAE is similar to that of Middle Easterners in general. They wear white jumpsuits and turbans. “That’s typical Arab attire. Their attire and appearance are no different from most Muslims,” he explained.
He added that similar communities can also be found in other countries, including Oman and Kuwait. “So, don’t generalize the woof racing contests there as a hobby or pastime for Muslims,” he said.
Fact
The Saluki dog racing festival is not held in Saudi Arabia, but in the UAE.
