Al Raya: Preventing Qataris From Performing Hajj -for the Second Year- is a Disgrace to Saudi Arabia

Doha, August 19 (QNA) - Al Raya Daily newspaper said in its Sunday editorial that preventing Qatari citizens from performing Hajj for the second year, by the Saudi authorities, is a disgrace that will smear Saudi Arabia's reputation forever, expressing its condemnation of Saudi Arabia's politicization of the Hajj and its use as a tool for pressure and blackmail. Under the title "Second year without Qatari pilgrims," the newspaper said that blocking the electronic system used by travel agencies to obtain the Hajj permits for Qatar's citizens and residents, confirms the continuation of Saudi intransigence in the Hajj file and the use of it as a tool to pressure and blackmail the State of Qatar in order to submit to it. Unfortunately, Riyadh deals with the Hajj file as if it owns it and has the right to allows some people and deprived others from performing it. Al Raya noted that the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (Awqaf) in Qatar has confirmed that Saudi Arabia did not take any concrete action to eliminate the obstacles to the travel of Qatari pilgrims, none of whom was able to perform Hajj in light of the continued siege, as Riyadh has admitted. The newspaper referred to the remarks of Head of Legal Affairs in the National Human Rights Committee, that Qatar's citizens and residents do not have a chance to travel for Hajj this year, as the pilgrims registration systems is still blocked for Qatar, and pilgrims can not obtain visas due to closure of diplomatic missions. Al Raya asked: For how long will the people of Qatar be deprived of Hajj How can political differences between countries be an obstacle to the performance of religious rites Why does Riyadh put impossible conditions for the Qatari Ministry of Awqaf Al Raya stressed that all the rumors about Saudi Arabia allowing the Qatari pilgrims to travel are lies and fabrications, as Saudi Arabia was forced to admit recently that it has received no pilgrims from the State of Qatar. The newspaper also asked: Why Saudi Arabia does not treat Qatar's pilgrims like those from Iran who arrived directly from their country without having to cross a third country despite the declared political differences between Riyadh and Tehran For how long will Saudi Arabia politicize Hajj and use it as a pressure and extortion tool Al Raya concluded saying that depriving pilgrims of Qatar from performing Hajj for the second year, is a disgrace to Saudi Arabia. (QNA)