Saudi Hajj Ministry: Available Vacancies, Registration to Continue Till Their Booked

Muslim pilgrims wearing face masks and keeping social distance perform Tawaf around Kaaba during the annual Hajj pilgrimage amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia July 31, 2020. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS
Muslim pilgrims wearing face masks and keeping social distance perform Tawaf around Kaaba during the annual Hajj pilgrimage amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia July 31, 2020. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS
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Saudi Hajj Ministry: Available Vacancies, Registration to Continue Till Their Booked

Muslim pilgrims wearing face masks and keeping social distance perform Tawaf around Kaaba during the annual Hajj pilgrimage amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia July 31, 2020. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS
Muslim pilgrims wearing face masks and keeping social distance perform Tawaf around Kaaba during the annual Hajj pilgrimage amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia July 31, 2020. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS

Vacant seats are available for an estimated 150,000 pilgrims residing within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, revealed Ministry of Hajj and Umrah Spokesman Hisham Saeed.

He added that the ministry allowed registration for the vacancies through concerned companies.

However, Saeed noted that the process of verifying the controls is ultimately done via e-track.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Saeed warned that the availability of Hajj vacancies is much lower than what is being advertised in the media.

He also explained that the vacancies are a product of personal complications that may be facing prospective pilgrims who were registered earlier.

Saeed reminded that the ministry did not dispense with any of the previously announced conditions and regulations for accepting the requests of registered pilgrims residing within Saudi Arabia.

He affirmed that registrations would keep getting vetted via e-track until all vacancies are filled.

In other news, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in Saudi Arabia announced on Wednesday that it will secure alternative flights and provide additional seats for pilgrims coming from Britain, the US, and Europe.

In cooperation with relevant authorities, visas will also be “issued immediately to the pilgrims entering the Kingdom as part of the efforts”.

This comes after people faced technical issues while applying for hajj via a new electronic portal called Motawif and had several issues including no access to the limited seats on flights.



El-Khereiji Holds Talks with UN Sec-Gen's Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict

The two sides discussed the most prominent regional and international developments of common interest - SPA
The two sides discussed the most prominent regional and international developments of common interest - SPA
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El-Khereiji Holds Talks with UN Sec-Gen's Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict

The two sides discussed the most prominent regional and international developments of common interest - SPA
The two sides discussed the most prominent regional and international developments of common interest - SPA

Saudi Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji met with Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict Vanessa Frazier at the ministry's headquarters in Riyadh.

During the meeting, they discussed the most prominent regional and international developments of common interest and the efforts underway to address them.


Saudi FM Discusses Regional Developments with Iranian, Pakistani Counterparts

Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Saudi Foreign Minister (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Saudi Foreign Minister (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi FM Discusses Regional Developments with Iranian, Pakistani Counterparts

Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Saudi Foreign Minister (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Saudi Foreign Minister (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan held separate phone talks on Sunday with his counterparts from Iran and Pakistan during which regional developments were the main focus of their discussions.

With his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, the Saudi minister discussed the efforts to preserve regional security and stability.

In a separate call with Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Prince Faisal discussed developments related to the current crisis and efforts to contain it through dialogue and negotiations, in a bid to ease tensions and preserve regional security and stability.

They also discussed the bilateral relations between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.


Saudi Arabia, Seven Nations Condemn Israeli Remarks on Forced Displacement of Palestinians

Israeli settlers move around in their off-road vehicles near to the besieged Palestinian houses in Qusra village, south of Nablus, in the occupied West Bank on August 17, 2026. (Photo by Jaafar ASHTIYEH / AFP)
Israeli settlers move around in their off-road vehicles near to the besieged Palestinian houses in Qusra village, south of Nablus, in the occupied West Bank on August 17, 2026. (Photo by Jaafar ASHTIYEH / AFP)
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Saudi Arabia, Seven Nations Condemn Israeli Remarks on Forced Displacement of Palestinians

Israeli settlers move around in their off-road vehicles near to the besieged Palestinian houses in Qusra village, south of Nablus, in the occupied West Bank on August 17, 2026. (Photo by Jaafar ASHTIYEH / AFP)
Israeli settlers move around in their off-road vehicles near to the besieged Palestinian houses in Qusra village, south of Nablus, in the occupied West Bank on August 17, 2026. (Photo by Jaafar ASHTIYEH / AFP)

The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Türkiye, Qatar and Egypt on Sunday strongly condemned remarks made by Israeli officials regarding plans to force Palestinians to leave the Gaza Strip.

In a joint statement, the ministers described the remarks and proposals as “incitement” and said they represented a flagrant violation of international law, including international humanitarian law, and a direct threat to the legitimate and inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Defense Minister Israel Katz on Thursday outlined a seven-year plan for removing Palestinians from the Gaza Strip through what Ben-Gvir described as "voluntary emigration."

The Saudi and Arab statement rejected any forced displacement of Palestinians, whether within or outside the occupied Palestinian territories, under any pretext or guise and warned against making it official policy.

The ministers said the measures directly challenged international peace efforts, including US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the Gaza conflict, which rejects forced displacement, and warned they could undermine regional stability.

The statement stressed that Gaza is an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territories and called for preserving the territorial unity of Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

The ministers said the only path to a just and lasting peace was the implementation of a two-state solution, with an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders and East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with relevant international resolutions.

They called on the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, to oppose any attempts to alter the demographic or geographic status of the occupied Palestinian territories and uphold international law. They reaffirmed support for “steadfast” Palestinians remaining on their land and rejected efforts to undermine their rights or erase the Palestinian cause.