Subscribe to Print Edition | Wed., December 19, 2007 Tevet 10, 5768 | | Israel Time: 08:25 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File Hanukkah

Palestinians en route to the hajj pilgrimage in Mecca wait at the Rafah crossing in Gaza earlier this month. (AP) del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 14:54 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 Bookmark to del.icio.us Organic memory Israeli research is among '50 most significant scientific breakthroughs in 2007.' Floating the PA International donors pledged $7.4 billion to help boost the PA economy .   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

Today Online IDF strikes kill at least 11 Islamic Jihad, Hamas militants Responses: 485 Bradley Burston: Killing the Palestinian who wishes you dead Responses: 126 Rosner's guest: The PA's goal is the destruction of Israel Responses: 131 Yoel Marcus: Israel doesn't need a new Vietnam called Gaza Responses: 137 Officials: Israel to allow construction in W. Bank settlements Responses: 177 Rosner's Domain Huckabee can 'live with a contained Iran' (What to Read) Rabin's long memory and the U.S. NIE report on Iran Guest: Leader of the Zionist Organization of America on post-Annapolis Mideast Without the Reform movement in Israel, there's no Reform movement More Headlines 07:32 Min. pushes new E. J'lem neighborhood for Jews 08:24 Mortar strikes near IDF base in Zikim; six soldiers suffer shock 07:53 ANALYSIS: Israel strikes hard in Gaza, trying to avoid an invasion 08:02 Argentina: Iran responsible for 1990s bombings at Jewish sites 08:05 Canadian Jewish tycoon Alex Shnaider buys Maccabi Tel Aviv 06:55 PMO establishes task force dedicated to preparing for Bush's visit 03:24 Two Haaretz writers win Sokolow Prize for Journalism 01:09 Israel expects over 60,000 pilgrims to come for Christmas 05:32 Israel, Russia reach agreement eliminating visa requirement 02:13 Treasure-hunting sisters find human remains from Roman era Previous Editions Select Day 18 dec 17 dec 16 dec 14 dec 13 dec 12 dec 11 dec 10 dec 09 dec 07 dec 06 dec 05 dec

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