Restricted entry from West Ban
Israel is severely limiting Palestinians’ access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem for the first Friday prayers of Ramadan. Authorities are allowing only 10,000 Palestinians from the West Bank with permits, and eligibility is restricted to children under 12, men over 55, and women over 50.
Hundreds of worshippers queue at the Qalandiya checkpoint near Ramallah, hoping to reach the mosque. By morning, only about 2,000 had crossed amid heightened Israeli military alert.
Disrupting Palestinian Tradition
Al Jazeera correspondent Nour Odeh highlighted the impact on Palestinian heritage. “There are 3.3 million people in the occupied West Bank … so allowing only 10,000 to pray on this first Friday of Ramadan is a drop in the ocean,” she said. Previous years saw up to 250,000 worshippers at the site.
The restrictions aim to weaken ties between Palestinians in East Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank. “Spending the day at Al-Aqsa is extremely important; it’s part of the heritage of Palestinians,” Odeh said. This year, many Palestinians will not be able to break their fast in Jerusalem as they traditionally do.
Heightened security and delays at checkpoints
Israeli forces placed checkpoints between the West Bank and East Jerusalem on high alert. Hundreds remain stuck at Qalandiya, unable to enter the mosque. Security measures enforce strict control over access during significant religious occasions.
The limits affect West Bank residents, Palestinian-Israelis, and East Jerusalem residents, dramatically reducing the number of worshippers attending the historic site.
Source: Al Jazeera
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