Arabman,
Hafez Assad (Allahu naxaristo) Syria was welcoming to Somalis while your Sunni lead Arab Kingdom were harsh to Somali refugees. Giving sanctuary is a noble act in its self.
The Baathist states were champions of Arab nationalism and made great progress than the backward theocracies of the Gulf. The last remaining lion is Bashar Assad and he will maul the theocratic Rasputins.
People paying their own rent and food doesn't count as getting sanctuary from Assad. Tens thousands of Somalis do the same thing in Cairo, Aden, Mukalla, Sana'a, Nairobi, Mombasa, Dar es-Salam, Tanga, Salalah and even in Saudi Arabia (those with proper iqaamah). And FYI, tens thousands of Somalis get various types of social assistance (housing, education, monthly/yearly stipends, etc) in the Gulf countries, and you, I and many here know that.