Al-Quds, MINA – Tens of thousands of Palestinian worshippers performed Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque and its courtyards, defying stringent Israeli restrictions and military measures imposed in occupied East Jerusalem.
The Old City witnessed a heavy deployment of Israeli forces, with military checkpoints established particularly around Asbat and Damascus Gates. Young men were systematically stopped, searched, and many were denied entry to the holy site.
The Israeli authorities intensified restrictions on worshippers, especially young Palestinian men, at the entrances to the Old City and the gates of Al-Aqsa, in what appeared to be a deliberate effort to reduce attendance and prevent large gatherings.
This heightened security occurred alongside renewed calls from Palestinian community and factional leaders for mass participation in prayers at Al-Aqsa.
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These calls emphasized that a strong Palestinian presence is crucial to defending the mosque’s Islamic identity and countering Israeli plans for temporal and spatial division of the site.
The public statements highlighted that maintaining a Palestinian presence at Al-Aqsa reflects unified popular resistance against escalating violations in Jerusalem and its sacred sites. They also urged continued mobilization to protect the mosque from ongoing Israeli attacks and Judaization attempts.[]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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