Israeli journalist Gil Tamari made his way to the city of Mecca sacred for Muslims during a trip to Saudi Arabia, causing disputes on social networks against the backdrop of a sensitive moment in the relations of the two countries.
Israeli “details” write, Tamari, a journalist of the 13th Channel of Israeli Television, published a video of his trip to Mecca, despite the rules prohibiting the entry of non-Muslims, which are provided by the system of checkpoints. He also climbed Mount Arafat, a sacred place where Muslims gather during a pilgrimage. Tamari’s trip was not authorized by the Saudi authorities, and the report was published after his return to Israel.
In the report, Tamari said that it was his dream – to visit Mecca, and that a man who agreed to help him in Saudi Arabia did not know that he was an Israeli journalist. In his tweet, Tamari said that his journey was not aimed at insulting Muslims, but set the goal of “demonstrating the importance of Mecca and the beauty of religion.”
Saudi Arabia and Israel do not have diplomatic relations, but the connections between the two countries are gradually improving, the publication notes. Several Israeli journalists, who also have passports of third countries, entered the kingdom during the visit of US President Joe Biden last week. At the same time, Saudi Arabia announced that she would open its airspace for all airlines, including for aircraft heading to and from Israel.