For the fifth Friday in a row, Al-Aqsa Mosque remains closed, and Palestinians are praying in the streets of Jerusalem
For the fifth consecutive Friday, Palestinians were denied access to perform prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque because it remained closed. This occurred amidst the Israeli-American confrontation with Iran and the declaration of a state of emergency in the country.
Typically, on a Friday, Al-Aqsa Mosque is bustling with worshippers. However, it appeared unusually empty today, with the covered prayer halls, courtyards, arcades, and pathways within the mosque complex deserted. The only prayers taking place were inside the mosque, conducted by the few staff members of the Islamic Waqf Department who were present.
In Jerusalem's streets, Palestinians from the city and the 1948 occupied Palestinian territories lay out their prayer mats in the streets and alleyways, praying at the closest possible points despite facing restrictions and harassment.
Israeli forces were deployed extensively across Jerusalem, especially near the Old City walls and gates. They disallowed prayers opposite the walls and moved worshippers from one location to another, often pushing and shoving. Despite this, hundreds succeeded in praying on Salah al-Din Street, and some prayed inside the Nablus Road bus station.
Special forces raided the prayer area on Nablus Street and detained the imam after the prayer ended.
A large contingent of intelligence and special forces raided the area around Saad and Saeed Mosque on Nablus Street, taking positions at its entrances. After the prayer concluded and worshippers left, they detained several, searched and beat others, and arrested a young man, assaulting him and forcing him to the ground.
The forces also conducted searches on young men in the streets of Jerusalem after the street prayers ended.
Mohammed Mahmoud, a lawyer from the Wadi Hilweh Information Center in Jerusalem, said that the authorities detained two young men, Ali Jabarin from Umm al-Fahem and Munib Abu Teir from Jerusalem, before releasing them after several hours of detention and interrogation. During this time, they were subjected to banishment and house arrest.
He added that the authorities released Ali Jabarin on the condition that he stay away from Jerusalem for 10 days, while they imposed house arrest on Munib Abu Teir.
The ninth closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque since 1967… Five consecutive Fridays without worshippers
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center in Jerusalem stated this is the ninth Friday that the Israeli authorities have closed Al-Aqsa Mosque. Its courtyards, mosques, and arcades are mostly empty of worshippers, aside from a few Islamic Endowment Department staff members.
The closures occurred as follows:
▪︎ First closure: Friday, June 9, 1967, two days after the occupation of Jerusalem.
▪︎ Second closure: Friday, July 14, 2017, following a shooting inside Al-Aqsa and an attempt to impose electronic gates.
▪︎ Third and fourth closures: during June 2015, coinciding with the Israeli war on Iran.
▪︎ Closures from the fifth to the ninth: During March 2026 and the first Friday of April, amidst the US-Israeli war on Iran. These closures included five consecutive Fridays, among them the third and fourth Fridays of Ramadan, in addition to the Friday that coincided with the first day of Eid al-Fitr.
In 2020, due to the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic, the four Friday prayers during Ramadan were not conducted inside Al-Aqsa Mosque. The Islamic Endowment Council in Jerusalem made this decision to suspend prayers in the mosque to prevent the spread of the virus.
