Saudi official: Israel better to pilgrims than Muslim countries

The Saudi minister of Islamic affairs yesterday praised Israel for not preventing Muslim pilgrims from performing the Hajj unlike other Muslim states.

In a move which many have described as further proof that Saudi is normalisation relations with the occupation state, the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance Sheikh Abdullatif Bin Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh said: “The state of Israel, from what we know of it, has not banned Muslim pilgrims from coming to the Kingdom [of Saudi Arabic] to take part in their religious obligation, however one of the countries, as we know or have been told, have banned pilgrims from travelling.”

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It is unclear which Muslim country Al-Sheikh was referring to but his comments may be an attempt to deflect blame after neighbouring Qatar said Saudi had put obstacles in the way of its nationals who wished to perform Hajj this year as part of a year-long boycott of the small Gulf state.

The video has since been retweeted by the Israeli government’s official Arabic Twitter account which added: “Thank God, Israel facilitated for more than 4,000 Muslim citizens to head to the holy places to complete the Hajj pilgrimage.”