The story: The annual Haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia this year has been mired in controversy. Motawif—the new state-backed Haj reservation portal that has pushed out travel agencies—is reported to have mishandled bookings. Pilgrims have also faced major logistical issues on site. Adding to the controversy, a cleric accused of supporting normalization with Israel has been selected to lead prayers at an important Haj ritual—galvanizing critics.

The coverage: After restricting Haj to domestic pilgrims for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Saudi authorities have this year allowed non-resident Muslims to also perform the annual pilgrimage...