Foreign minister says there has been no suggestion by any Qatari official about internationalising the pilgrimage issue.

Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. [Reuters]

by Al Jazeera

Qatar’s foreign minister has rebutted accusations by his Saudi counterpart that Qatar is trying to politicise the annual Islamic Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.

Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, appeared to accuse Qatar on Sunday of politicising the issue and “declaring a war” against the kingdom by demanding the internationalisation of the Hajj pilgrimage.

The claim was rejected by Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in an interview with Al Jazeera.

“Qatar never politicised the issue of Hajj,” he said.

“It was Saudi Arabia trying to politicise the Hajj pilgrimage amid the Gulf crisis.

“There has been no suggestion by any Qatari official about internationalising the issue.”

The Hajj is an annual pilgrimage to Mecca attended by hundreds of thousands of Muslims from around the world.

Jubeir was quoted by Al Arabiya’s website as saying: “Qatar’s demands to internationalise the holy sites is aggressive and a declaration of war against the kingdom … We reserve the right to respond to anyone who is working on the internationalisation of the holy sites.”

Jubeir’s statement

In a separate statement in the Bahraini capital of Manama on the same day, Jubeir denied what he called claims that Saudi Arabia was trying to politicise the Hajj.

“We reject attempts by Qatar to politicise the issue and consider it disrespect to the Hajj and pilgrims,” he said.

Qatar accused the Saudis of politicising the Hajj and addressed the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion on Saturday, expressing concern about obstacles facing Qataris who want to attend Hajj this year.

Qataris are allowed to go to Hajj by Saudi authorities, but they can access the country via only two designated airports: King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah and Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Airport in Medina.

The citizens of Qatar who are abroad will have to return to the country, during the Hajj period at the end of August and beginning of September, to be able to enter Saudi Arabia by way of one of the designated airports.

Furthermore, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation has said Qatar Airways flights are banned even for pilgrims during the Hajj period.

The land border with Saudi Arabia has been closed since June 5, preventing pilgrims from reaching Saudi Arabia via land.

The fact that Qatari diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia are also closed means there is no authority to appeal to for Qataris in case issues come up during Hajj.

The moves are designed “to set obstacles for the pilgrims from Qatar to Mecca”, according to Qatar’s Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (Awqaf).

‘Registrations reach 20,000’

Ali Sultan al-Misifry, director of Hajj and Umrah department at Awqaf, said the number of registrations by national and resident pilgrims had reached 20,000.

“Many of these registrants have joined Hajj campaign to begin their holy ritual. However, then the Saudi ministry’s refusal to communicate and to provide safety guarantees led to the apprehension of the pilgrims,” Misifry said, according to Qatari news media.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain previously issued a list of 13 demands for Qatar, which included curtailing its support for the Muslim Brotherhood, shutting down the Doha-based Al Jazeera channel, closing a Turkish military base and downgrading its relations with Gulf enemy Iran.

On Sunday, foreign ministers of the four countries said they were ready for dialogue with Qatar if it showed willingness to tackle their demands and “fights terrorism”.

Rights group files complaint to UN special rapporteur over restrictions imposed on Qatari pilgrims amid GCC crisis.

As custodian of Islam’s holiest sites in Mecca and Medina, Saudi Arabia organises the annual Hajj [File: Reuters]

by Al Jazeera

Qatar has accused Saudi Arabia of politicising the Hajj, claiming Riyadh has imposed restrictions on Qatari nationals planning to travel to Mecca for the annual Muslim pilgrimage.

Qatar’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said on Saturday that Qatari citizens have been told they can only enter Saudi Arabia through two airports, and that they must travel via Doha to be allowed in.

This would be challenging for Qataris who do not live in Doha, such as those studying abroad.

The NHRC said it has filed a complaint with the UN special rapporteur on freedom of belief and religion over the restrictions, which it said were in “stark violation of international laws and agreements that guarantee the right to worship”.

The restrictions are part of a boycott launched on June 5 by Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt, which saw the group sever diplomatic ties with Qatar and impose a blockade. They accuse Qatar of funding terrorism, allegations Qatar has strongly denied.

The four Arab states cut transport links with Qatar, and Saudi Arabia has closed the peninsula’s only land border.

As the custodian of Islam’s holiest sites in Mecca and Medina, Saudi Arabia organises the annual Hajj.

The pilgrimage is one of the five pillars of Islam, which every able-bodied Muslim who is able to afford the journey is obliged to undertake at least once in a lifetime.

Hajj is due to begin in early September.

The NHRC said it was “extremely concerned over [Saudi Arabia] politicising religious rituals and using [Hajj] to achieve political gains”.

“The Saudi authorities have allowed the Qatari pilgrims to enter Saudi Arabia only through two airports via Qatar only, thus any Qatari citizen located outside Qatar, must first return to Qatar then travel to Saudi Arabia,” it said.

The civil liberties group also said that it will lodge a second complaint against Saudi Arabia with UNESCO for subjecting Qatari nationals to harassment and threats in Saudi territory.

During the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, the group claimed that officials in Saudi Arabia forced Qataris who were visiting religious sites to leave their hotel rooms. Unable to fly on commercial flights, which had been blocked from travelling from Saudi Arabia to Qatar, they were forced to use charter flights.

In June, the Doha-based Al Sharq newspaper reported that Saudi authorities barred Qatar nationals from entering the Grand Mosque in Mecca.

The NHRC said that its complaints were part of a wider effort to highlight Saudi Arabia’s violations of religious freedom and the right to worship, and expose them to the international community.

Islamabad: Former petroleum minister and senior Pakistan Muslim League-(Nawaz) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will be appointed as interim prime minister of Pakistan after Nawaz Sarif was disqualified by the Supreme Court in Panamagate case.

Pakistan Finance Minister Ishaq Dar was also disqualified by the Supreme Court in the case.

Abbasi will run the government as interim prime minister until Nawaz Sharif’s brother Shahbaz is elected as member of parliament.

After a consultative session of the ruling PML-N, Shahbaz has emerged as the most likely candidate to be the next prime minister of Pakistan after an interim premier has served the 45-day period, Geo News reported.

(Agencies)

Doha-based outlet says Israel leader’s defamatory claims are latest episode of ‘ongoing viscous attack’ against network.

Netanyahu threatens to shut down Al Jazeera’s offices in Jerusalem accusing the network of inciting tensions around Al-aqsa [Reuters]

by Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera has denounced a threat by the Israeli Prime Minister to close the network’s Jerusalem office, saying it will continue to cover events in the Palestinian territories professionally and objectively.

The Doha-based media network responded on Thursday, hours after the Israeli leader posted defamatory comments about the outlet’s coverage to his Facebook page, saying Al Jazeera journalists “incite violence”.

Al Jazeera “denounces such arbitrary accusations and hostile statements”, a press release from the network said.

Netanyahu’s comments mark “yet another episode of the ongoing vicious attack” against Al Jazeera, the statement read, referring to calls by a Saudi-led group boycotting Qatar to close the network.

“Al Jazeera stresses that it would take all necessary legal measures in case they act on their threat,” the statement continued.

“The network moreover reiterates that it will continue covering the news and events of the occupied Palestinian territories, and elsewhere, both professionally and objectively.”

Netanyahu has long complained of Al Jazeera’s coverage.

His latest comments come amid a major fallout between Israeli authorities and Palestinians over al-Aqsa Mosque.

“The Al Jazeera network continues to incite violence around the Temple Mount,” he wrote on social media late on Wednesday, referring to recent events at the holy site in Jerusalem known as Temple Mount to Jews.

“I have appealed several times to law enforcement authorities demanding the closure of the Al Jazeera Jerusalem office,” he continued. “If this does not happen because of legal interpretation, I will work to legislate the required laws in order to remove Al Jazeera from Israel.”

Religious officials say Palestinians should celebrate victory as Israel lifts security following mass demonstrations.

Muslim elders urged faithful to pray at al-Aqsa Mosque after Israel removed security measures [Reuters]

by Al Jazeera

Muslim leaders of the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem have given their approval for Palestinians to re-enter the site after Israel removed new security measures, following almost two weeks of protests that saw several Palestinians killed and hundreds injured.

Officials of the Islamic Waqf authority that administers the holy site said on Thursday that Muslims should claim victory after Israel backed down, and urged them to once again pray inside the mosque.

The first prayer is expected to take place at around 13:00 GMT.

“We will be able to offer prayers inside the compound,” said Abdel-Azeem Salhab, director of the Islamic Waqf Council.

“The Israeli occupation forces have been trying for decades to violate al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Now, you are living in the new era of victory. We totally appreciate the masses who have been gathering,” he added.

Israel had erected railings, gates and scaffolding where cameras were mounted at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound entrance, claiming the measures were necessary for security after an attack on July 14.

Palestinians protested against increased security, which they viewed as an encroachment of Israeli control over the holy site, and a form of collective punishment.

With the discriminatory security measures, they feared that Israel was attempting to change the status quo of al-Aqsa, which gives Muslims religious control over the compound and Jews the right to visit, but not pray there.

Deadly street protests

Instead of praying inside al-Aqsa, thousands worshipped in the streets.

They also demonstrated, often clashing with police. At least six Palestinians were killed in that violence – one of whom was shot by a settler, and hospitals were unable to keep up with the number of injured.

“We had to sacrifice everything, we had to win this battle, and we finally won,” Ahmed Abulawa, a resident of occupied East Jerusalem, told Al Jazeera. “Jerusalem is our soul, our faith and we cannot live without it and al-Aqsa.

“Everyone here will sacrifice everything for al-Aqsa, and this is what made us victorious.”

A Palestinian also allegedly broke into the home of a Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank and killed three Israelis.

By Tuesday, Israel had removed metal detectors from the entrance.

The measures, which also saw Palestinian men under the age of 50 banned from Friday prayers, were imposed after the alleged attack almost two weeks ago at the compound, carried out by Palestinian gunmen who killed two Israeli security guards.

As workmen removed the extra security installations on Thursday, Palestinians gathered to celebrate, with whistling and constant horns from cars.

“The message here is that the people have won,” said Al Jazeera’s Stefanie Dekker, reporting from occupied East Jerusalem. “It is a very special time for the Palestinians, who have never really experienced this kind of victory. They have achieved what they wanted.”

Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, backed calls to return to al-Aqsa Mosque.

“The prayers will happen, God willing, inside the al-Aqsa Mosque,” Abbas told a press conference.

Jordan welcomed Israel’s removal of all new security measures as “an essential step towards calm”, said Mohammad al-Momani, information minister.

The compound houses al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock shrine, Islam’s third holiest site after Mecca and Medina, but also the ruins of the Biblical Jewish Temple.

Israeli police earlier confirmed that all security measures had been removed.

Move by Saudi-led group boycotting Qatar to add names to ‘terrorist’ list is baseless, communications director says.

The Saudi-led bloc has added 18 groups and individuals allegedly linked to Doha to their ‘terrorist’ list, a move Qatar has condemned [AFP]

by Al Jazeera

Qatar has described a new blacklist released by Saudi Arabia and its allies as a “disappointing surprise”, saying it was doing all it could to fight extremism.

Sheikh Saif bin Ahmed Al Thani, Qatar’s communications director, said the decision by the four Arab states to add 18 groups and individuals allegedly linked to Doha to their “terrorist” list has no basis in fact.

“It comes as a disappointing surprise that the blockading countries are still pursuing this story as part of their smear campaign against Qatar,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.

The move by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain on Tuesday came despite mounting international pressure to compromise in their weeks-old boycott of their fellow US ally.

The new names include nine entities in Yemen and Libya, and add to a previous blacklist of 59 individuals and 12 groups issued by the four states last month.

Sheikh Saif said: “This latest list provides further evidence that the blockading countries are not committed to the fight against terrorism.

“All individuals with links to terrorism in Qatar have been prosecuted. We encourage the blockading countries to spend less time on drafting these fabricated lists and more time on implementing measures to counter the threat of extremism in their own countries.”

He added that Qatar constantly reviews its anti-terror laws to “remain on the front foot in the fight against extremism and terror financing”.

Region’s worst crisis in years

Saudi Arabia and its allies have been boycotting Qatar since June 5 in the region’s worst diplomatic crisis in years.

Accusing Qatar of financing terrorism, they sealed the emirate’s only land border, ordered its citizens to leave and closed their airspace and waters to Qatari flights and shipping.

They want Qatar to cut back ties with Iran, close down a Turkish military base in Qatar and shut the Al Jazeera TV channel, which they view as critical of their governments.

Qatar has dismissed the demands as a violation of its sovereignty and has received significant support from its ally Turkey.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who last week spent four days in the region trying to broker a settlement of the crisis, has voiced satisfaction with Qatar’s efforts to address any suspicion of terror funding.

But after talks with European Union diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini on Tuesday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry warned that the four governments would accept no compromise in their dispute with Qatar.

“We cannot compromise with any form of terrorism, we cannot compromise or enter into any form of negotiations,” Shoukry told a news conference.

In Tuesday’s statement, the four countries accused Qatari, Kuwaiti and Yemeni nationals of helping to raise funds for al-Qaeda fighters.

Their blacklist now include three Yemeni charities, three Libyan media outlets, two armed groups and a religious foundation, some of which are already subject to US sanctions.

Riyad Mansour urges Security Council to protect Palestinians and their holy sites from Israel’s ‘destructive agenda’.

Riyad Mansour accused Israel of ‘aggressive behaviour and provocative violation’ [Al Jazeera]

by Al Jazeera

The Palestinian envoy to the UN has told the Security Council that al-Aqsa Mosque compound crisis in East Jerusalem is at a tipping point, urging the council members to help protect Palestinians and their holy sites from Israel’s “reckless and destructive agenda”.

Riyad Mansour warned in his speech to the Council on Tuesday that “the stoking of a religious conflict is rapidly unfolding as Israel persists its illegal actions in occupied East Jerusalem”.

He accused Israel of “aggressive behaviour and provocative violation” of the historic status quo at the Muslim-administered al-Aqsa Mosque compound, referring to a brief closure of the holy site after a deadly shooting there that was followed by installation of CCTV cameras and metal detectors.

“We are clearly at the tipping point,” he said. “We must therefore again warn against the dangers of such provocations and incitement, and fuelling of yet another cycle of violence which will surely have far-reaching consequences.”

Prayer protests

On the ground in East Jerusalem, Muslim leaders urged the faithful on Tuesday to keep up their prayer protests outdoors and avoid entering the compound, even after Israel dismantled metal detectors that initially triggered the tensions.

Sheikh Najeh Bakirat, director of al-Aqsa Mosque, said on Tuesday that the move does not fulfil the demands of the Muslim worshippers as the security cameras remain.

Sheikh Raed Saleh, an al-Aqsa official, said that the Palestinians would “never accept the current status, unless everything that was added after July 14 was removed.

“The picture until this moment is not clear. They are doing it in the middle of the night, in the cover of darkness, like bats. God knows what we are going to wake up to the next morning,” Saleh said.

Dozens of Muslim worshippers continued to perform prayers in the streets outside the compound on Tuesday.

Al Jazeera’s Imran Khan, reporting from occupied East Jerusalem, said that as the metal detectors were being removed, hundreds of Palestinians protested against the security cameras that remained in place

Israel said it would replace the metal detectors with new security arrangements based on “advanced technology”, reportedly including sophisticated cameras, but said it could take up to six months to install them.

On Tuesday evening the Israeli security forces used stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse crowds of Palestinian worshippers outside the compound.

“Just after the evening prayers had finished, the Israeli security forces came out of the al-Aqsa Mosque compound and used stun grenades and rubber-coated steel bullets to disperse the crowd … We don’t know what sparked this latest round of violence but we do know that the Palestinian protesters were unarmed,” said Khan.

“I have counted at least five protesters injured when the Palestinian Red Crescent brought them in through here.”

Israeli forces have injured more than 900 Palestinians since clashes over al-Aqsa Mosque compound erupted on July 14.

by Al Jazeera

More than 900 Palestinians have been injured in confrontations with Israeli forces in the last 10 days over the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.

Palestinian hospitals, already overstretched, fear a large influx of injured if tensions, which erupted on July 14 after Israel closed the sensitive site in occupied East Jerusalem, continue.

They also highlighted that most of the injuries inflicted by the Israeli forces were from rubber-coated steel bullets.

International human rights groups have long condemned Israel’s use of such bullets.

The 39-year-old Mohammed Ismeal, currently being treated at Al Maqassid hospital in East Jerusalem, was apparently shot with a stun grenade in the head, which left him drifting in and out of consciousness.

“He wasn’t disabled. But now look at him. He can’t recognise anyone. It’s like he’s lost his memory,” Muataz Ismeal, the patient’s brother, told Al Jazeera.

Suleiman Turukman, the doctor in charge of Mohammed’s case, said he feared for his patient’s life.

“His condition was serious. He was about to die. He is now improving slowly. But is disoriented and cannot recognise his family due to the trauma.”

The clashes with the Israeli forces that started with the closure of the al-Aqsa Mosque compound have continued since its reopening as Israel introduced metal detectors as a security measure at the entrances of the site.

The Palestinians see the move an attempt by Israel to expand its control at the Muslim-administered compound.

On Sunday, Israel installed new security cameras at the site which also angered the protesters.

Hussein Da’na, a 76-year-old Palestinian, told Al Jazeera that he “rejects” the cameras because they disadvantage Palestinians further.

“These cameras are made to identify the faces of people who are barred from entering al-Aqsa Mosque,” Da’na said.

“We pray each morning here and the police assaults us. I intend to keep praying here until Israel removes all what is new,” he added, referring to the security measures.

Major General Yoav Mordechai, who heads the Israeli defence body for Palestinian civilian affairs, said Israel was open to alternatives to lower the tensions.

“The only thing we want is to ensure no one can enter with weapons again and carry out another attack,” he said. “We’re willing to examine alternatives to the metal detectors as long as the solution of alternative ensures the prevention of the next attack.”

However, the Mufti of Jerusalem, Sheikh Muhammad Hussein, told the Voice of Palestine he demands a complete return to procedures that were in place before the initial attack at the shrine.

In a statement on Sunday, the Islamic institutions in Jerusalem, of which he is a part, said they “affirm the categorical rejection of the electronic gates and all the measures of occupation”.

A top adviser to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said a series of consultations are under way with various countries to try and lower tensions in Jerusalem.

Abbas’s diplomatic adviser, Majdi Khaldi, said the Palestinians are coordinating with Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco and others.

Four-month ban on carrying laptops in cabins on US-bound flights ends as new airport security measures are put in place.

The US had earlier argued that a ban on laptops on flights would improve security [File: Srdjan Zivulovic/Reuters]

by Al Jazeera

The United States has ended a ban on passengers carrying laptops on board US-bound flights from certain airports in the Middle East and North Africa, bringing to an end one of the controversial travel restrictions imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration.

Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport was the last of 10 airports to be exempted from the ban, which was launched four months ago, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed in a tweet late on Wednesday.

Middle East carriers have blamed Trump’s travel restrictions, which include banning citizens of some Muslim majority countries from visiting the US, for a downturn in demand on US routes.

In March, the US banned large electronics in cabins on flights from 10 airports in the Middle East and North Africa over concerns that explosives could be concealed in the devices taken on board aircraft.

The ban has been lifted on the nine airlines affected – Emirates, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Royal Jordanian, Kuwait Airways, EgyptAir and Royal Air Maroc – which are the only carriers to fly direct to the US from the region.

‘Ineffective’ ban

A ban on citizens of six Muslim-majority countries – Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen – remains in place though it has been limited after several US court hearings challenged the restrictions.

“The aviation industry has been trying to come together with a united message to governments and stakeholders about regulation and supporting the industry,” said Will Horton, senior analyst at Australian aviation consultancy CAPA.

“That was dealt a first blow from the travel ban and then a second from the large electronics ban.”

Leading industry group the International Air Transport Association (IATA) criticised the laptop ban as ineffective, as security experts argued that fighters could travel to the US via Europe or elsewhere where the restrictions didn’t apply.

New security measures

US officials lifted the ban after visiting the 10 airports in Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Turkey over the past three weeks to confirm new security measures announced last month were being implemented.

On Thursday, the US issued a revised directive to airlines around the world in response to requests that it clarify aviation security measures scheduled to start taking effect this week.

The new requirements include enhanced passenger screening at foreign airports, increased security protocols around aircraft and in passenger areas and expanded canine screening.

They affect 325,000 airline passengers on about 2,000 commercial flights arriving daily in the US, on 180 airlines from 280 airports in 105 countries.

Airlines that fail to meet the new security requirements could face in-cabin electronics restrictions.

The UK continues to enforce a similar in-cabin ban on electronics ban on flights from some Middle Eastern airports. Those restrictions apply to flights from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.