Procedures, restrictions and deprivation - 90,000 worshippers perform the first Friday prayer of Ramadan in Al-Aqsa
Tens of thousands of worshippers performed the first Friday prayer of Ramadan in Al-Aqsa Mosque, amidst strict procedures and restrictions on the entry of West Bank residents, with a heavy deployment of police forces in the city of Jerusalem.
The Islamic Endowments Department reported that about 90,000 worshippers performed the first Friday prayer of Ramadan in Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Since the early hours of Friday morning, the occupation authorities have turned the Old City and the surrounding neighborhoods and streets into a military barracks, deploying thousands of police officers in the area. The forces also set up iron barriers and barricades in the streets of Jerusalem and its neighborhoods near the Old City, "Sheikh Jarrah", "Wadi al-Joz", and "Al-Sowaneh", in addition to barriers and checkpoints in the Old City and at the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The forces were also stationed in different teams in the aforementioned areas, and closed many streets and roads leading to the Old City, which prevented vehicles and buses from moving, and worshippers walked long distances to reach Al-Aqsa.
The occupation police announced the deployment of 3,000 of its members in the city of Jerusalem on Friday as part of its preparations for the influx of worshipers to Al-Aqsa Mosque for Friday prayers.
At the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Old City, the forces stopped hundreds of young men and boys, searched them, and assaulted a number of them by pushing them. The occupation forces also prevented many young men from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque without reason, and searched women's bags as they entered Al-Aqsa.
Since October 7, 2023, the occupation authorities have imposed strict restrictions on the entry of worshipers to Al-Aqsa, as they imposed a siege on the mosque in the first months of the war, and prevented most worshipers from entering it. Only a few of them were allowed to enter, most of them elderly. With the beginning of the month of Ramadan last year, the restrictions were eased to become random, as they were limited to stopping young men and boys and preventing hundreds of them from entering, especially on Fridays (Dawn and Friday prayer).
The streets and markets of Jerusalem did not witness the usual crowds, as Palestinians did not flock to Al-Aqsa Mosque as in previous years, and Al-Aqsa Mosque and its courtyards were not filled with worshipers from different Palestinian territories and of all age groups, due to the restrictions imposed on the people of the West Bank and the conditions for entering Jerusalem.
The procedures and restrictions prevented thousands of Palestinians from the West Bank from entering Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa.
The occupation had announced the procedures for entering the city of Jerusalem to pray in Al-Aqsa, which include "obtaining a magnetic card and a permit from the Coordinator's application, provided that the permit is for one day only (Friday from 5 am to 5 pm), and only 10,000 worshipers are allowed to enter."
The occupation authorities also specified the ages allowed to enter, as men under the age of 55 are prohibited from entering, and women under the age of 50, while children under the age of 12 are allowed to enter provided that they are accompanied by a parent and have a birth certificate.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his cabinet on Thursday approved a military recommendation to allow a limited number of Muslim worshippers from the West Bank to enter the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Fridays during the holy month of Ramadan, under measures similar to those in place last year. The number has been capped at 10,000 worshippers, who must obtain a permit and obtain a security check in advance.
The residents of the West Bank explained that if anyone is late to arrive at the checkpoint to "sign/fingerprint" after 5 pm, they may be fined or denied a "permit" on the next Friday. As for those who "do not fingerprint", their home may be searched to ensure their return, or a letter from the coordinator may be sent to them.
Those deported from Al-Aqsa Mosque performed Friday prayers on its doorsteps.
The month of Ramadan and its first days were preceded by deportation decisions that affected dozens of Palestinians.
For the second year in a row, the occupation authorities prevented medical teams from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque and set up emergency tents in its courtyards to provide medical services to fasting people coming to Al-Aqsa. The police asked the medical teams before Ramadan to submit procedures to examine the possibility of allowing them to enter, including "the names of the teams and their ID numbers."
Late Thursday evening, Israeli forces demanded that all worshippers leave the Al-Qibli Mosque and the courtyards, to prevent them from staying there on Friday night, and gave those present several minutes to immediately leave Al-Aqsa Mosque.
