VZCZCXRO8285
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHJM #1757 2661347
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 221347Z SEP 08
FM AMCONSUL JERUSALEM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2841
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC PRIORITY C O N F I D E N T I A L JERUSALEM 001757 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE. NSC FOR ABRAMS/RAMCHAND/PASCUAL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/22/2018 
TAGS:                  
SUBJECT: MINISTRY OF AWQAF HOPES SAUDIS WILL DISTRIBUTE 
GAZA HAJJ VISAS THROUGH PA 
 
Classified By: Acting Principal Officer Greg Marchese, per reasons 1.4 
(b) and (d) 
 
 1.  (C) Summary.  The PA Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs 
called for USG pressure on Saudi Arabia to distribute Hajj 
visas to Gazans through the Ministry rather than through 
HAMAS.  Doing so would help the PA, he said.  He added that 
the PA wants Gazans to depart through Jordan, not Egypt.  The 
PA has already begun the selection process for Hajj visa 
recipients in the West Bank and Gaza, but HAMAS's competing 
list in Gaza could produce some friction, according to the 
Minister.  End Summary. 
 
PA MINISTRY DISTRIBUTING HAJJ VISAS, 
HOPES TO DISTRIBUTE TO GAZANS 
------------------------------------ 
 
 2.  (C) Deputy Minister of Awqaf and Religious Affairs Salah 
Zuhayka told PolOff September 22 that Saudi Arabia offered 
3000 Hajj visas for Palestinians from the West Bank and 1800 
for Gazans.  (Note. The Hajj begins o/a December 10.  End 
Note.)  He said the Ministry has already begun an 
Internet-based lottery to select the 3000 West Bankers and 
hopes to receive 2000 additional visas for West Bankers after 
Eid al-Fitr in early October.  He said selection of visa 
recipients this year is being done by the Ministry, rather 
than an independent committee as previously. 
 
 3.  (C) Zuhayka said the Ministry asked Saudi Arabia to 
distribute the 1800 visas to Gazans through the PA rather 
than HAMAS, but the Saudis have not responded.  He said the 
PA and HAMAS are compiling separate lists of Gazans for 
visas, which could produce conflict when one group of people 
is denied visas in favor of the other.  Zuhayka said USG 
pressure on Saudi Arabia to work with the Ministry of Awqaf 
would help the PA.  He said the PA prefers to bring Gazans 
through Israel and the West Bank to Jordan for the Hajj, 
rather than through Egypt. 
 
PALESTINIANS MAKING UMRA TRAVEL INDEPENDENTLY 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
 4.  (C) Zuhayka told PolOff that Saudi Arabia issues Umra 
visas on a rolling basis throughout the year and that 
Muslims, including Palestinians, can apply without the 
assistance of their governments.  He said Gazans who make the 
Umra, therefore, are not necessarily identified with a 
particular faction.  (Note: The Umra pilgrimage to Mecca can 
be performed at almost any time during the year, unlike the 
Hajj, which occurs annually in the twelfth month of the 
Islamic calendar.  End Note.) 
MARCHESE