Within the first couple of days of the Hajj pilgrimage 2 million Moslems proclaimed death to America and Israel as they fulfilled one of the five pillars of the Islamic faith. Mohammed Mohammedi Reyshahri delivered a speech written by an Iranian spiritual leader criticizing the “mercenary government of Israel” and the “satanic policies of international Zionism.” During the speech many of these pilgrims held up yellow placards, which read “Death to America,” and pink placards, which read, “Death to Israel.” This worries the United States as it occurred in Saudi Arabia, one of America’s most important Middle Eastern allies. “The ‘Great Satan’ (the phrase used in Iran to depict America) is incarnating evil and violence against mankind, while raising the flag of defending human rights, and calling the Middle East to democratize,” Reyshahri said. Saudi officials and the Ministry of the Hajj failed to respond to these statements.