Yemenis Protest Saudi Ban from Hajj

Local Editor

Thousands of Yemenis protested Friday in Sanaa over claims that Saudi Arabia, home to Islam's holiest sites and host to the hajj, was denying Yemenis the right to attend this year's pilgrimage.

Dressed in the white shrouds worn by pilgrims, they shouted "No to politicizing the hajj."

"The next hajj will be by arms!"

Hundreds of thousands of people from around the world are gathering in the Saudi city of Mecca, home of the Islam Prophet Mohammed [PBUH], for the five-day pilgrimage due to begin later this month.

Talal Makki, manager of an agency in Sanaa which organizes pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia, stated that the kingdom has so far denied entry to Yemeni pilgrims "due to security issues, and we are waiting for a royal decision allowing them to enter."
 
Makki said his agency has received applications from 20,000 people wanting to perform hajj.

During weekly prayers Friday in Sanaa, clerics condemned Saudi Arabia's "use of hajj... to obtain political gains... which contradicts all teachings of Islam."

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team