Blogging about Israel and the Arab world since, oh, forever.
A week ago, a woman visited Islam's holiest spot, the Kabaa in Mecca, and unfurled a Palestinian flag while smiling for a camera.ย
Saudi security quickly came to tell her to put the flag away, which she did.ย
That was the entire incident. But video of it caused an uproar on social media,where people claimed she was "arrested" (she wasn't.) and that she had every right to display the flag.
Haaretzย reportsย that Saudi officials have responded:
Speaking with Al-Ekhbariya TV, Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais stressed thatย the holy site is a place of worship where only religious slogans and chants should be heard. Al-Sudais, one of the nine imams of the Grand Mosque, said that visitors come to the site to pray and worship, not to express political views. He urged worshippers not to let their emotions distract them from their prayers, suggesting that they pray to God (Allah) for salvation over their concerns rather than expressing demands at the holy site.
This is a policy. Whether one agrees or not, the Saudis have a policy for their holy sites and are trying to enforce it.
Compare this to what regularly happens on the Temple Mount with the full permission of the Waqf:
But they do prohibit the Israeli flag from being shown.
Meaning the only consistent policy shown by the Waqf is antisemitism.ย
I'm still waiting to hear from any human rights group that Jews should have equal rights to worship on their holiest site.ย
