MAKKAH, 17 December 2007 — The Palestinian Haj delegation, comprising 2,186 people, thanked the Saudi government for its continuous support since their arrival in the Kingdom following a gruesome seven-day trip from occupied Palestine.
Saleh Al-Regab, head of the delegation, said that it took the group seven days to travel to the Kingdom due to strict security implemented by Israeli border guards. He added that the group comprises 955 men and 1,231 women, including 37 administrators and four doctors.
“Four other doctors were prevented from leaving the country at the border,” said Al-Regab, adding that the delegation arrived in three groups: The first batch consisted of 533 pilgrims, the second 1,650 pilgrims and the third 27 pilgrims.
“Our pilgrims have suffered a lot during the trip, especially the women and elderly. We couldn’t give medicines to a number of ill pilgrims. ... As soon as we arrived in the Kingdom things changed for the better. We were given a warm welcome as soon as we set foot here,” said Al-Regab.
“Upon our arrival in Makkah, as we were short on medicines, the Saudi Health Ministry rushed to provide us with a large supply. Additionally, a number of pharmaceutical companies came to our aid after they heard of our plight,” he added.
“We have a number of sick women and a 95-year-old cancer patient, who insisted on performing Haj despite his illness,” said Al-Regab.
He added that the Palestinian people back home live in a miserable state and that dozens of men and women die each day due to a lack of medicines. He also called on the Arab and Muslim community to stand up for the rights of the Palestinian people.
Al-Regab said that the most touching story he experienced this year was that of a woman whose name was not drawn from the annual Haj raffle.
“I explained to her that 11,000 people applied to perform Haj and we only chose 2,186 pilgrims. I couldn’t pull myself together when she told me that her son had been martyred. We then decided to take her on the journey. This is the least we can do to the mothers of our martyrs,” he added.
