Two prominent Lebanese Muftis and a chairman of an Islamic center expressed resentment and rejection of calls for politicizing Hajj and internationalizing the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah In separate statements, Mufti of Jabal Lebanon Sheikh Mohammed Ali Al-Jozo expressed profound upset for Qatar's call for internationalization of Muslims holy cities of Makkah and Madinah as well as putting difficulties before the travel of its country's pilgrims to reach the sacred place and perform Hajj this year, citing irrelevant reasons. In a statement today, Al-Jozo said it is regrettable to see Qatar repeating an Iranian out-of-day demand to transfer the administration of Muslims' two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah to an Islamic body, a call that undercovers a sectarian view, rather than a pure Islamic consensus. He said everybody recognizes the unprecedented services, order and neutrality the Saudi Hajj authorities are providing for decades for the two holy mosques pilgrims, Umrah performers and visitors. In a similar statement, the former Mufti of Akkar area Osamah Al-Rafee put it clear that any politicizing of Hajj issue or a demand to internationalize Hajj administration or such calls relating to the two holy mosques are absolutely rejected. He drew a link between Israel's current attempts to alter the identity of Al-Aqsa mosque in Palestine and the Iranian-fueled Houthi attacks against Makkah as well as the recent Qatari call for politicizing of Hajj as concerted attempts to adrift the sanctuaries from the hearts of Muslims gradually to pave the way for their lasting control by Zionists and their allies. For his part, Sheikh Khaldoon Oraimet, Chairman of the Islamic Center for Studies and Media in Lebanon said the Qatari call proves that the GCC country has completely fallen clasped in the arms of the Persian Iranian thought which sent this call serval years ago but in vain. He noted the high-level service being rendered to the two holy mosques by the successive Saudi governments enabling pilgrims, Umrah performers and visitors to do their rituals in ease and comfort.
