Al-Aqsa Mosque Remain Closed for 37th Day by Israel

Al-Quds, MINA – Israeli occupation authorities have kept both Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem’s Old City shuttered for the 37th consecutive day, citing a “state of emergency” and security concerns tied to the ongoing war with Iran, according to Wafa.

Israel are using this pretext to tighten their grip on Al-Aqsa Mosque, even as grassroots calls grow for worshippers to mobilize near checkpoints and surrounding areas in an effort to break the siege imposed on the holy site and demand its immediate reopening.

For only the ninth time since 1967, Al-Aqsa was closed last Friday, leaving its courtyards, mosques, and halls eerily empty, save for a handful of Islamic Waqf staff members. This marked the fifth consecutive Friday of closure.

Across the streets of Jerusalem, Palestinians from both the city and Israel gathered in roads and alleys to perform prayers at the closest points they could reach, enduring restrictions and harassment from Israeli forces. Troops were heavily deployed, particularly near the walls and gates of the Old City, actively preventing prayers near the walls and dispersing worshippers. Nevertheless, hundreds managed to pray on Salah al-Din Street, while others gathered at the bus station on Nablus Street.

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Groups advocating for the so-called “Temple” are exploiting the Passover holiday period, which began on April 2 and continues until April 9, to incite Israeli settlers to enter Al-Aqsa and perform what they call “sacrificial rituals” inside the mosque compound.

Palestinian official and religious authorities have warned that the continued closure represents a severe violation of freedom of worship and a dangerous escalation that demands urgent international intervention.[]

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

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