Mecca
Voices from the Arab press: Mecca pact will strengthen security, stability
A weekly selection of opinions and analyses from the Arab media around the world.
Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan to build joint political and military pact mechanisms
'A paper tiger': Iran sees Saudi, Turkey, Pakistan defense pact as a major win, expert tells 'Post'
Pakistan says defense pact with Turkey, Saudi Arabia is 'purely defensive,' open to other nations
Why diplomatic deals cannot fix revolutionary ambitions - opinion
Washington seeks a manageable relationship; Tehran seeks a revolution. No treaty can bridge that gap.
‘Pax Americana’ in the Middle East - opinion
Political Islam, or Islamism, despite its modern aspects and appearance, has its roots in the original Islam of Medina. It was there that the Prophet Muhammad established the first Islamic state.
Hamas seeks to exploit Hajj pilgrimage to smuggle funds into Gaza - report
In Egypt, the sources explained, the smuggled finances will be laundered or “redirected” using various methods before being transferred to Gaza.
Normalization with Saudi Arabia cannot begin while Mecca broadcasts antisemitic hate - editorial
In a weekly sermon delivered at Mecca two days before the Bondi Beach terror attack the preacher called on God to punish the Jews and portrayed Israel as a cruel “Zionist enemy."
Normalization? The Mecca sermon no one in the West wants to hear - opinion
Two days before the horrific terror attack in Sydney, the designated weekly preacher in Mecca delivered a sermon that was openly antisemitic, anti-Jewish, and anti-Israel.
Saudi Arabia executes two people for plotting attacks on places of worship
The two men also planned attacks against security facilities and personnel, Saudi state news agency SPA reported, citing a statement from the interior ministry.
Saudi authorities release Iranian cleric arrested for bad mouthing Kingdom, Sunnah
Iranian cleric Ghasemian was arrested in Mecca for insulting Saudi Arabia but was quickly released and returned to Iran before completing Hajj. Both countries downplayed the incident.
Tehran pushes for Saudi Arabia to release Iranian cleric who posted critical video
Gholamreza Qassemian posted a video in which he heavily criticized Saudi Arabia for enabling moral corruption in the kingdom.
Hundreds reportedly died at this year's Hajj in Saudi Arabia
Over 1.83 million Muslims from 22 countries participated in the pilgrimage this year. Significant security presence at the hospital when an official read out the names of the deceased.
Iran's Khamenei politicizes Hajj again, calls for global dissociation from Israel
His statements of address during this year's Hajj echo his historical pattern of using the pilgrimage as a platform for political statements against Israel and the US.
