GAZA (PIC)– Dr. Yousef Al-Mansi the minister of endowments and religious affairs in the caretaker government confirmed that his ministry is doing its best to ensure the success of the pilgrimage season in spite of the obstacles placed by Fayyad’s unconstitutional government in front of Gaza pilgrims.
In a meeting with a number of journalists Mansi called on the Saudi government to cooperate with the ministry’s representative in Saudi Arabia and to instruct its embassy in Egypt to grant entry visas to Gaza pilgrims.
The minister also called on Saudi Arabia to accredit the signature of Dr. Saleh Alruqub the ministry undersecretary according to the protocol signed last year between his ministry and the Saudi ministry of Hajj.
The minister confirmed that the ministry’s representative had processed most of the necessary procedures related to Hajj but Fayyad’s government sent a delegation to Saudi Arabia asking the Saudi ministry of Hajj not to deal with the Gaza representative which made the Saudis freeze everything.
The minister underlined that the Egyptian side have no problem with the opening of Rafah crossing but it is waiting for approval by Fayyad’s government which proves that the Ramallah government is working on derailing the pilgrimage season.
For his part Dr. Saleh Alruqub the ministry undersecretary stated that in the event the Fayyad government stopped putting obstacles Saudi Arabia would complete the Hajj procedures and Egypt could open the Rafah crossing.
