CAIRO: Palestinians who were allowed to pass through the Rafah crossing to embark on the lesser pilgrimage (umrah) in Ramadan have opted to remain in Saudi Arabia illegally rather than return to Gaza. According to sources in the area, of the 1,320 pilgrims who initially left to Saudi Arabia, only 265 have returned to Gaza through the Rafah crossing, including 38 on Wednesday. In addition to this number, 83 Palestinians who had entered Egypt for medical purposes returned to Gaza. The remaining Palestinians appear to have stayed in Saudi Arabia to pursue economic opportunities they cannot find in the impoverished and blockaded Gaza strip. Local Palestinian coordinator in Rafah Abdel-Sattar El-Ghalban confirmed that the majority of pilgrims had not yet returned but stated that the actual number is yet to be confirmed. "The situation within Gaza is making it impossible for people to stay, he said, "They are looking for a better life. The economic and security situation in Gaza is what is causing them not to return. "The Saudis are sympathetic to them, and they (the pilgrims) are unaffiliated with any security apparatus in Palestine, El-Ghalban added. Umrah visas are valid for 30 days only but people are required to leave within two weeks of the date of entry. Anyone performing umrah in the month of Ramadan must leave by the end of the month and is not allowed to stay for Eid El-Fitr. Working is prohibited for anyone entering Saudi Arabia carrying a umrah visa. Both the Saudi embassy and the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) in Cairo had no information on the subject while the Palestinian embassy could not be reached for comment. Egypt temporarily opened the Rafah crossing last month to allow the pilgrims to travel to Mecca. For Muslims, performing the umrah in the fasting month of Ramadan holds special significance and as such Mecca is at its fullest during this month aside from the days for hajj, or the main pilgrimage. The decision to reopen the crossing came at the behest of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who requested that Rafah be opened to allow the pilgrims to go through, as it is the only conduit not under direct Israeli control. "The gesture [to open the crossing] reflects Egypt's keenness on providing a pleasant atmosphere for the besieged Palestinian brethren and creating a favorable climate for the restart of Palestinian national dialogue, he said at the time.
