Saudi Arabia's new weekend plans

The Kingdom proposes to change its weekend to Friday and Saturday.

Storified by The Stream· Mon, Apr 22 2013 12:18:58

@saeedalraga: "The best part about the council's (decision), is that (the change) to Friday and Saturday does not cost money and does not effect citizen life. The decision serves the decision makers to keep up with global trade."

@SaudiNews50 أجمل شئ في المجلس، السبت والجمعه ماعليها تكلفه مالية. ولاتمس حياة المواطن . تخدم صاحب القرار لمواكبة التجارة العالميةسعيد ال راقع

@iDhmi: "The reason for the change in weekend holiday is due to the affected banks and companies who have foreign relations. That's because the weekend in most countries is on Saturday and Sunday."

السبب في تغيير اجازة نهاية الأسبوع تضرر البنوك و الشركات التي لها تعاملات خارجيةلأن نهاية الاسبوع في معظم الدول السبت و الأحدم. عبدالرحمن الشهري

Next month , Oman will shift to a Friday-Saturday weekend, making Saudi Arabia the last Gulf nation retain a Thursday-Friday weekend.

Some feel Saudi Arabia does not need to conform to the schedules of western countries.

@1278Hamad: "By God, its odd that Saturday is a holiday. Do we have to be like the West. Seriously, people are ridiculous. I am against this decision and find it to be a failure."



@abobatalalklthm والله مو راكبه السبت اجازة.يعني لازم نصير مثل الغرب يعني صدق شعب منتهي وانا ضد هالقرار واعتبره قرار فاشلهمس المشأعر

"Saudi Arabia first rejected changing its weekend as an unacceptable compromise of fealty to its founding principles" http://goo.gl/IWE7wcszabla

Others feel that changing to a new weekend schedule isn't that big of a deal. The following image, shared on Twitter, depicts reactions after first hearing the news, after ten minutes, and after half an hour.

#العطلة_الجديدة_جمعة_وسبت ردود فعل الشعب في تلقيه للقرارات الجديدة, مثل ردود فعل الطفل الصغير بالضبط..الصورة للتوضيح http://pic.twitter.com/ogT4hROpHH فرح آل ابراهيم

Many Arabic hashtags were used to discuss the possible change, including "New_weekend_Friday_Saturday" and "Friday_Saturday_our holiday."

Finally we will say TGIF and mean it #العطلة_الجديدة_جمعة_وسبت #تغيير_العطلة_الاسبوعية #جمعه_و_سبت_عطلتنا #السعوديةSaad Saud

Currently, Saudis anticipate Wednesday as the last day of their working week.

#العطلة_الجديدة_جمعة_وسبت No waiting for Wednesday anymore..Nouf Alomar

Some are already celebrating Thursday as the new Wednesday.

The proposal for a Friday-Saturday weekend will require approval from the Council of Ministers.