A dispute has erupted over Israeli Arabs’ annual pilgrimage to Mecca, known as the hajj.
Until now, Israeli Arabs have used temporary Jordanian passports and were part of the Jordanian quota in making the trip to the holy site in Saudi Arabia.
But as mandated by the recent peace treaty with Jordan, Israeli citizens are to leave the country on Israeli passports, said Uzi Baram, interior and tourism minister. Baram was responding to reports that the Saudis would require Palestinian authorization for the Israel Arab pilgrims.
In the absence of Jordanian passports, the Saudis apparently are making a political statement in the rejection of Israeli passports and the demand for Palestinian authorization. The demand was made by the Saudis, not the Palestinians, said Jamil Tarifi, Palestinian head of the joint liaison committee for civil affairs.
Israel will not accept any Saudi demand requiring Israeli Arab pilgrims to Mecca to travel with Palestinian passports, Baram said this week. “We will not permit Saudi Arabia to instigate a dispute between Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel,” he said.
Meanwhile, Religious Affairs Minister Shimon Shetreet has said his office has completed arrangements to enable Israeli Arab Muslims to depart for Mecca.
Shetreet said the arrangements would continue as they have in the past. Those pilgrims with valid Israeli passport will depart via Jordan and will cross the Jordanian-Saudi border.
Previous restrictions on the pilgrimage, such as limits on the number of travelers, will be eased.
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