Jerusalemites succeed in opening the chapel of Al-Rahma Gate which has been closed since 2003
16 years after the closure of the chapel of Al-Rahma Gate in Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Jerusalemites broke the siege and entered today with chants of “God is Great” and performed the Friday Noon prayer inside, after five days of sit-ins held in its courtyard.
Wadi Hilweh Information Center explained that hundreds of Palestinians headed by the members of the Islamic Awqaf Council have opened the closed door of Al-Rahma Gate since 2003, minutes before the Friday Noon prayer, and entered with loudchants, raising the Palestinian flag. They also listened to the Friday sermon and performed the prayer inside.
The center added that thousands of worshipers, after the end of the Friday prayer, celebrated the victory they had achieved and raised the Palestinian flag and chanted slogans and religious songs for Al-Aqsa Mosque and Al-Rahma Gate, and celebrated inside the building of Al-Rahma Gate and its exterior courtyard, in addition to celebrations in the vicinity. They also went on the roof, noting that the occupation police evacuated the observation point in the area.
Before the Afternoon Prayer, young people began to clean the chapel and put carpets inside, and cleaning its doors and outer areas and removing dust from the place, stressing that they will continue cleaning and renovating it, and conduct knowledge and religious classes, and that they will not leave it in front of the ambitions of the occupation.
Al-Rahma Gate chapel
At the beginning of this week,the occupation authorities put iron chains on the upper gate leading to the chapel of Al-Rahma Gate. This was the spark that launched a series of sit-ins and demonstrations in support of Al-Rahma Gate until it was reopened on Friday.The occupation forces closed the chapel in 2003 by a decision from the police inspector. In 2017, the Israeli Magistrate's Court ordered to close it under the pretext that there was a terrorist organization.
Sheikh Ekrema Sabri, the preacher of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the head of the Islamic Supreme Court,confirmed in the Friday sermon, that Al-Aqsa is not subject to the decisions of the occupation, nor will it be a paper for the elections of the occupation government. Muslims have the right to pray anywhere inside it, and the closing decisions which have been renewed in recent years are all void and illegal.
Isolations from Al-Aqsa Mosque
The occupation police released on Friday dozens of young Jerusalemite man after detaining them for several hours.
According to a statement by the Israeli police, the occupation forces arrested 60 young men, from all over the city, and released them on condition of isolation from Al-Aqsa Mosque.
