RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — A Jordanian couple in Saudi Arabia burst into tears of joy to be among the chosen ones for next week’s scaled-down hajj pilgrimage, but countless rejected applications have stirred resentment. Pilgrims typically wait for years to be chosen through a strict quota system for hajj, which last year drew some 2.5 million people. The ministry, which did not respond to AFP’s request for comment, said Saudi pilgrims were selected from a pool of health practitioners and military personnel who have recovered from COVID-19. Health hazardFor Saudi Arabia, curtailing the hajj was a decision fraught with political and economic peril. Even in a regular year, the hajj leaves pilgrims exposed to a host of viral illnesses.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer July 22, 2020 02:37 UTC