Israel is severely restricting Palestinians’ access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem for the first Friday prayers of Ramadan, with many hundreds queueing at the Qalandiya checkpoint near Ramallah, hoping and waiting to get in.
Israeli authorities say they will allow no more than 10,000 Palestinians from the occupied West Bank into one of Islam’s holiest sites for the day, and only with permits – a fraction of the number who have visited to mark the occasion in previous years.
Only children under the age of 12, men over 55, and women 50 years or older are eligible to apply for permits. Israel’s Channel 12 reported that approximately 2,000 Palestinians were able to cross through the Qalandiya checkpoint towards Jerusalem by the morning, amid a state of Israeli military high alert at checkpoints separating the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
‘Getting to Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is part of Palestinian tradition’
“We find 3.3 million people in the occupied West Bank … so allowing only 10,000 to pray on this first Friday or Ramadan is a drop in the ocean, and only a trickle have been able to make it in,” Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh reported from the Qalandiya checkpoint.
Odeh added that hundreds of people remain stuck at the checkpoint attempting to enter the holy site. She stated the new restrictions are attempting to break bonds between communities, as “getting to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is part of the Palestinian tradition, which has been going on for generations, for hundreds of years.”
Many Palestinians “will not be allowed to break their fast in Jerusalem as they’re used to, and that is just one more way that Israel is severing ties between occupied East Jerusalem and the rest of the occupied West Bank,” Odeh said.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the significance of Al-Aqsa Mosque?
Al-Aqsa Mosque is one of Islam’s holiest sites, located in the Al-Haram al-Sharif compound in Jerusalem. It is a central place of worship for Muslims.
Who is currently eligible to enter Al-Aqsa Mosque from the occupied West Bank?
Only children under the age of 12, men over 55, and women 50 years or older are eligible to enter Al-Aqsa Mosque from the occupied West Bank, and only with permits.
How many Palestinians were able to cross the Qalandiya checkpoint by morning?
Approximately 2,000 Palestinians were able to cross through the Qalandiya checkpoint towards Jerusalem by the morning, according to Israel’s Channel 12.
As access to this holy site is severely limited this Ramadan, what impact do you anticipate this will have on the Palestinian community?
