1st group of Palestinian pilgrims set to leave West Bank for Saudi Arabia for Hajj

The first group of Palestinian pilgrims from the occupied West Bank began to leave for Saudi Arabia on Monday to perform the Hajj pilgrimage, as Israel continues to prevent Palestinians in the Gaza Strip from making the soul-searching journey for the third consecutive year, Anadolu reports. Waleed Ghannam, director of police at the Karama crossing, which serves as the main thoroughfare for West Bank Palestinians to travel abroad, said buses carrying pilgrims began arriving in the morning in Jericho, where travel procedures were being completed before their departure for Saudi Arabia. The first group includes 2,230 pilgrims, while 1,730 others are scheduled to leave Tuesday as part of ongoing arrangements to send Palestinian pilgrims to the holy sites in Saudi […]