Subscribe to Print Edition | Sat., November 28, 2009 Kislev 11, 5770 | | Israel Time: 18:44 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Jewish World Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Focus U.S.A. Strenger than Fiction Business Travel Magazine Week's End Anglo File Books
Palestinians en route to the hajj pilgrimage in Mecca wait at the Rafah crossing in Gaza earlier this month. (AP)
Share |
Last update - 00:00 16/12/2007
Israel agrees to let 900 Gazans enter en route to Hajj in Mecca
By The Associated Press
Tags: Hajj, Israel, Palestinians 

Israel agreed to let about 900 Gaza pilgrims travel through Israeli territory en route to a Muslim pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, Palestinian and Israeli officials said.

Israeli officials said the passage through the Israeli-controlled Erez crossing was under way at midday, but couldn't specify how many Gazans had actually crossed.

Hussein El Sheikh, head of the civil affairs department in the government of moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the 900 pilgrims would be let through Erez by Monday morning, if not earlier.
Advertisement
The pilgrimage to the Saudi holy city of Mecca, known as the hajj, is an obligation every able-bodied Muslim is expected to carry out once in a lifetime. But the Islamic Hamas group's takeover of Gaza in June has encumbered the visits because both Israel and Egypt have all but sealed their borders with the territory to passenger traffic.

Several weeks ago, Egypt opened its border to hundreds of Gaza pilgrims - the first time Gazans were permitted to enter Egyptian territory since the Hamas takeover.

The pilgrims traveling on Sunday were to drive in a convoy through Israel to the West Bank town of Jericho, and from there to Jordan, where they were to board flights to Saudi Arabia, El Sheikh said.

The Israeli approval was given at the last minute. The pilgrimage, or hajj, ends on Tuesday with the beginning of the four-day Eid al-Adha feast.

Related articles:
  • PA miffed at Egyptian-Saudi deal with Hamas over hajj pilgrims
  • Egypt relaxes border with Gaza to let pilgrims travel to Mecca
    • PROMOTION: Mamilla Hotel
    Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Construction continues
    Israel okays 28 new settlement buildings, despite temporary construction freeze
    Secular Israeli paradox
    God's promise of the land to Jews has deep pull on secular Israelis.
      1.   Give Them ALL One-Way Tickets There 14:24  |  Yishai Kohen 16/12/07
      2.   Yishai Kohen - one way ticket 14:42  |  Joe 16/12/07
      3.   Capitulation after capitulation,Israel is a defeatist entiety 14:55  |  Absolute Sweden 16/12/07
      4.   Big mistake 15:54  |  Ben 16/12/07
      5.   Fat-hawi hajies! 15:58  |  Nabulsi 16/12/07
      6.   even they need a permission for this 16:03  |  sareah 16/12/07
      7.   Too little, too late! 16:30  |  IsraeliMuslim 16/12/07
      8.   I thought Israel left Gaza 17:12  |  Mike 16/12/07
      9.   Safe passage if they drop Shalit off on the way 17:24  |  Burned Liberal 16/12/07
      10.   Israel should all of them go to Mecca and then close the border 18:21  |  cv 16/12/07
      11.   From Gaza??? Egypt can give them a VISA!! 18:47  |  Alain 16/12/07
      12.   Easier for Israeli to return to point of origine: Europe 19:00  |  nobodysacred 16/12/07
      13.   Sour grapes Nabulsi? 19:16  |  Marabu 16/12/07
      14.   Israeli Muslim 19:22  |  Marabu 16/12/07
      15.   Give him oneticket mentality!!! 19:30  |  European 16/12/07
      16.   Do not let them come back: 19:44  |  Feiglin Supporter 16/12/07
      17.   I`ll travel with them 20:05  |  Ehud Olmert 16/12/07
      18.   An honourable decision. 20:30  |  Stephen. 16/12/07
      19.   #15 european 20:44  |  dan 16/12/07
      20.   Israeli Muslim 21:15  |  bellini 16/12/07
      21.   nobodysacred - Jews are the original owners..Read your HISTORY... 21:41  |  bf 16/12/07
      22.   Nr 20, excellent post for literates, who wants the thruth 22:36  |  Cristo 16/12/07
      23.   tell them while they go to Mecca..... 22:53  |  patrick hammel 16/12/07
      24.   # 18 Stephen ...RIGHT ON!! 22:55  |  Lynn 16/12/07
      25.   Hajj Radicalizes Muslims 23:14  |  Scientist 16/12/07
      26.   #7 23:59  |  Moshe 16/12/07
      27.   #8 00:05  |  Moshe 17/12/07
      28.   #12 00:10  |  Moshe 17/12/07
      29.   your Comments show Your 00:15  |  Samir Salameh 17/12/07
      30.   DID I HEAR? 00:23  |  Veni Vidi 17/12/07
      31.   But how many will they let back in? 00:45  |  peaeclover 17/12/07
      32.   #23 01:14  |  Moshe 17/12/07
      33.   Interesting comments 01:15  |  Axel 17/12/07
      34.   #29 01:18  |  Moshe 17/12/07
      35.   The pull of stone worship 01:53  |  Brod 17/12/07
      36.   More concessions to come 02:14  |  Frank 17/12/07
      37.   To Axel #33 02:31  |  dovale 17/12/07
      38.   Exodus to Mecca - 900 plagues 02:59  |  David 17/12/07
      39.   To #15 European - One way tickets 03:02  |  Frank 17/12/07
      40.   After reading some of Israeli`s posts... 14:56  |  T A Sheppard 17/12/07
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations
    Award-Winning 'Obsession'
    Watch 'Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West' Online FOR FREE!
    Protea Hills
    A Retirement Village in Nature Nestled in the Foothills of Jerusalem
    Date Local Jewish Singles
    Ready to meet your match? Join Jdate today!
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
     Haaretz Hot Topics
    Iran elections
    Obama speech in Cairo
    The Pope in the Holy Land
    Durban II conference
    Israel vs. Hamas
    More Headlines
    18:19 Top Iran lawmaker: We could leave the NPT
    16:30 Report: Security beefed up at Gaza-Egypt border ahead of Shalit transfer
    16:37 Tourism Min. pledges to keep developing West Bank sites, despite freeze
    18:14 Hezbollah leadership split amid fears of fresh IDF attack
    17:56 Security officer for IDF General Staff suspected of attempted rape
    12:12 Hugo Chavez: Israel plans to 'terminate the Palestinian people'
    15:07 IN PICTURES / Muslims around the world celebrate Eid al-Adha
    07:41 TV ROUND-UP: IAEA rebukes Iran, Shalit deal may be at hand
    15:42 Shlomo Sand's 'The Invention of the Jewish People' is a success for Israel
    20:23 Comment / Anti-Semitism in Europe: New prejudice fans flames of the oldest hatred
    11:21 Muslim pilgrim dies of swine flu during annual haj
    12:39 Iran confiscates rights lawyer's Nobel Peace medal
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Site rules |
    | Advert: Recommended Restaurants | Makom: Engaging on Israel
    | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved