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Iranian Pilgrims In Saudi Rally In Support Of Palestinians
MECCA, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 18 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - A delegation of Iranian pilgrims performing Hajj in Saudi Arabia organized a conference late Sunday in support of the Palestinians and their ongoing Intifada against Israel, an Agence France-Presse (AFP) journalist reported.
Sheikh Naim Qassem,deputy secretary general of the Lebanese Resistance group Hizbollah, attended the meeting.
The head of the Iranian delegation, Ayatollah Mohammadi Rey-Shehri reiterated to some 200 mainly Iranian and Lebanese pilgrims his country's support to the Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation. He said this support explained "U.S. hostility" towards Tehran.
"The United States should know that any action against Iran will not bring about an end to the Intifada but will cause uprisings in the entire Islamic world," he warned.
In a highly criticized State of the Union address last month, U.S. President George W. Bush cited Iran as one of three countries -- together with Iraq and North Korea -- that form what he described as an "axis of evil", in a hint they might be the next target of Washington's "war on terror."
"If Muslim countries worked together to annihilate Israel, they would easily succeed in doing so," Rey-Shehri threatened.
For his part, Qassem reiterated his group's view that the "Intifada is the only way of liberating the Palestinian land."
He also echoed recent calls by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah to reproduce in the Palestinian territories the war his group led against the Israeli occupation army for two decades in southern Lebanon, leading to the May 2000 Israeli troop withdrawal.
Over the past few days, Riyadh has issued numerous calls for calm during the annual pilgrimage, warning that it would not tolerate any political demonstration.
In July 1987, Saudi security forces clashed with Iranian pilgrims holding a protest against Israel and the United States. Official Saudi figures put the death toll at 402, including 275 Iranians.
Iran is allowed to send 90,000 pilgrims each year to the Hajj. The Iranian contingent traditionally organizes anti-Israel and anti-U.S. demonstrations, but these protests have been relatively low-key over the past few years.
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Ahmed, a
young Iranian pilgrim, is helped by his father to put on the ihram in
Jeddah. |
February 9, news agencies reported that Saudi Arabia has installed eye-scanning and finger-printing devices at the King Abdul Aziz international airport, in a drive to tighten security at this month's annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.
Individuals selected randomly and considered "suspicious" among the hundreds of thousands of Muslims arriving for the event will be taken aside to have their irises digitally scanned, according to BBC’s online news service.
"Those suspected of being involved in terrorism activities will have their names listed at all entry ports," said Saudi official Lieutenant Colonel Ibrahim bin Saleh al-Hamdan.
Saudi authorities have beefed up security presence in and around the holy city of Mecca to control anticipated record numbers for the Muslim mass gathering.
"We have made all the arrangements. We will not permit, in any case, demonstrations or marches during the pilgrimage," Interior Minister Nayef bin Abdel Aziz told a press conference in Riyadh. "We are totally and firmly ready to face any incident with wisdom, firmness and force," he warned.
Saudi King Fahd also warned pilgrims to avoid any disturbance or activity in violation of the sanctity of the event.
Imam of the Grand Mosque Osama Khayyat urged pilgrims during his Friday sermon to stay away from trouble and to focus on the benefits of Hajj. Some two million worshippers prayed at the mosque at noon Friday, February 15.
Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and home to its holiest shrines, the Grand Mosque (Al-Kaaba) in Mecca and Prophet Muhammad (SAAWS)'s Mosque in Medina.
The Hajj, which culminates with Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice), will reach its climax February 21 where prayers are said at Mount Arafat, the site of Prophet Mohammad's last sermon 14 centuries ago. Eid al-Adha starts Friday, February 22 when every pilgrim must sacrifice sheep. The meat is donated to the needy.
Hajj is one of the pillars of Islam. Every able-bodied Muslim who has the financial means must perform it once a lifetime. Muslims believe those who perform it with a sincere heart will be forgiven for previous sins.
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