By Mustafa Haboush
ISTANBUL (AA) - Saudi Arabia said it will host 1,000 of Palestinian pilgrims to perform the Hajj pilgrimage this year.
“The hosting of relatives of wounded, killed and imprisoned Palestinians reflects the kingdom’s support for Palestine, Islamic holy sites and Al-Aqsa Mosque,” Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, head of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, said in statements carried by state news agency SPA.
Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh, for his part, said the move by Saudi King Salman “comes as an affirmation to the depth of the relationship and his appreciation of the great sacrifices made by the Palestinian people.”
Saudi Arabia said Saturday it expects to receive two million Muslim pilgrims during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage.
Saudi Arabia held downsized Hajj in the last three years due to restrictions imposed to stem the outbreak of COVID-19.
In 2022, over 899,999 Muslim pilgrims visited Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj pilgrimage, according to official figures.
In 2021, the kingdom welcomed up to 60,000 pilgrims from inside Saudi Arabia amid COVID-19 restrictions, while only 10,000 performed the ritual in 2020.
The Hajj, the pilgrimage to Islam's holiest site Kaaba in Mecca, is one of the five pillars of Islam. Muslims are required to perform it at least once in their life if they have the means to do so.
*Writing by Ikram Kouachi