GAZA CITY, December 23, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – "Thank God we are done with the watertight Israeli restrictions and can smoothly pass the Rafah border crossing," a jubilant Um Mahmoud said Friday, December 23.

Like thousands of fellow Gazans, the Palestinian mother carried he bags through the Rafah border crossing into Egypt to fly for Saudi Arabia to perform hajj.

"We are walking over the moon. Finally we will be able to perform hajj," she told IslamOnline.net.

"Last year, the Israeli occupation forces prevented us from going on the spiritual journey."

Palestinian pilgrims begin leaving for the Saudi Arabia Friday via the Rafah border terminal, the only land crossing between Gaza and the rest of the world.

The crossing, which opened to a flood of excited Palestinians on November 26, is jointly operated by the Palestinian Authority and Egypt along with EU as observers.

The operation of the terminal had been a point of fierce contention since the Israeli withdrawal from the impoverished Gaza Strip in September after 38 years of military presence.

A member of the European Union monitoring team (L) stands beside Palestinians border officers at the Rafah border crossing. (Reuters).

"Bye bye Israeli instigations," said Mohamed Al-Masri while leaving the Rafah crossing.

"I have waited years for this moment. The Israelis used to impose restrictions to prevent us from traveling to Saudi Arabia," he told IOL with tear-soaked eyes.

"Life is short and I wanted to perform hajj last year, but the Israeli occupation forces stopped me," he recalled.

Before the unilateral withdrawal, Israeli occupation forces controlled ins and outs of the Gaza Strip, subjecting Palestinians to very strict security measures.

Under the Israeli occupation, Palestinians had to have a special permits in order to cross the terminal.

In addition to denying such permits to the majority of applicants, Israel used to close the terminal as a form of collective punishment after every resistance attack.

Mohamed Al-Gharabli, 35, recalled how the Israelis used to bar Palestinians under 35 from embarking on hajj trips on security pretexts.

"The day has come that we see the Israeli security arrogance break down in front of the Palestinian people stamina," he said proudly.

Suleiman Al-Sufi agreed.

"Here we are Israel, realizing the long denied dream of leaving for Saudi Arabia to perform hajj," he said crossing the terminal.

Hajj consists of several ceremonies, meant to symbolize the essential concepts of the Islamic faith, and to commemorate the trials of Prophet Abraham and his family.

Every able-bodied adult Muslim who can financially afford the trip must perform hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, once in their lifetime.

• Hajj (a special page)

• The Message of Pilgrimage

• How to Prepare Yourself for Hajj (Live Fatwa)