Pictures: First Friday Prayer in the holy month of Ramadan…thousands prevented from reaching Al-Aqsa Mosque
Thousand of Palestinian worshippers were prevented from reaching Al-Aqsa Mosque to perform the first Friday Prayer in the holy month of Ramadan due to strict Israeli restrictions on the locals of the West Bank.
The Islamic Awqaf Department explained that nearly 100 thousand worshippers performed the Friday Prayer.
Occupation forces were deployed at the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque and in the streets leading to it. They closed several roads with red tape and iron barriers and searched many young men after checking their IDs.
The occupation forces prevented men under the age of 45 from entering the city of Jerusalem at the barriers established at the entrance of the city.
On the other hand, the occupation forces arrested Shadi Natsheh from the Old City of Jerusalem after scattered clashes broke out in the area. They also obstructed the entrance of young men to Al-Aqsa Mosque through Hutta Gate.
The forces also arrested Ashraf Sharabati on Friday early morning; he is an employee of the Islamic Awqaf Department.
The occupation authorities isolated on Thursday the elderly Ali Sroor Abu Awad from Al-Aqsa Mosque for three months.
