Al-Quds, MINA – Tens of thousands of Palestinians performed the second Friday prayer of Ramadan at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and its courtyards on Friday, with local sources estimating approximately 100,000 worshippers attended despite stringent restrictions imposed by Israeli occupation authorities, PIC reports.
Thousands of Palestinians from the West Bank began traveling at dawn toward Qalandiya checkpoint and Checkpoint 300, hoping to reach the holy site. However, Israeli forces closed the gates of Qalandiya checkpoint after imposing strict entry restrictions on access to Occupied Jerusalem.
Large numbers of worshipers were denied entry on the grounds of lacking permits, despite Israeli authorities having announced that approximately 10,000 West Bank residents would be allowed entry each Friday during Ramadan.
Israeli occupation authorities also set age restrictions, permitting entry only for men over 55 and women over 50, while requiring a one-time permit to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque during the holy month.
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Witnesses reported that in practice, authorities often fail to meet the announced quotas, frequently preventing hundreds from accessing the site without clear justification.
The measures appear to form part of a broader system aimed at closely monitoring the movement of worshipers, from their departure from home areas to their arrival at military checkpoints surrounding Occupied Jerusalem.
Despite the restrictions, Palestinian worshippers filled the mosque’s courtyards for weekly prayers, with many emphasizing the importance of maintaining a strong presence at the site during Ramadan.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, Islam’s third holiest site, remains a central symbol for Palestinians and a frequent flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The site is administered by the Jordanian-appointed Waqf, though Israeli forces control access to the compound.
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International human rights organizations have repeatedly called on Israel to ensure freedom of worship and access to holy sites in accordance with international law, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan.[]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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