New Saudi policy stops Palestinian refugees from performing Hajj and Umrah
The new Saudi policy affects hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who have temporary travel documents but no national identification numbers.
Muslim pilgrims circle the Kaaba and pray at the Grand mosque ahead of annual Hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia on August 16, 2018.
Palestinians say they are being prevented from travelling to Saudi Arabia to perform Muslim holy rites because of a new Saudi policy that requires Palestinian pilgrims to have ID numbers issued by Palestine.
This affects over 700,000 refugees, who will need to return to their country to obtain an ID number. But there's no guarantee that they will be allowed to leave once they go back to Palestine.
"When I heard the decision, I was shocked. Mecca and Medina are for all Muslims, not only for the Saudis. They have no right to deprive Muslims from worshipping in the holy mosques.
Why are the Palestinians who have no national numbers deprived of performing these acts of worship?, " a Palestinian refugee, Ahmad Walid Husein al Miynawi said.
TRT World's Obaida Hitto tell us more about the new Saudi policy and the Palestinians who are affected most by the decision.
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