A government employee at the Ministry of Finance, al-Huwaiti became a symbol of protest after he was killed by Saudi security forces in April 2020, following his refusal to give up his ancestral land.
[1] In April 2020, Al-Hawaiti and other residents were being pressured by the Saudi government to give up their properties and accept financial compensation for a proposed mega new city named Neom.
[3] On 13 April 2020, he posted videos online announcing that Saudi security forces were trying to evict him and other members of the Howeitat tribe from their historical homeland to make way for the development of Neom.
[7] Authorities in Saudi Arabia have permitted the use of lethal force to clear land for Neom, a $500 billion smart city project planned by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS).
[1] Al-Hawaiti's death sparked international attention and criticism of the Saudi government's handling of the Neom project and its impact on the local population.