OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (Palestine Foundation Information Center), Tens of thousands of Palestinians performed Friday prayer at Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem despite heightened Israeli security measures.
According to the Islamic Waqf Department in Jerusalem, approximately 60,000 worshipers attended Friday prayer at the Mosque compound.
Local sources reported that thousands of Palestinians began arriving at Aqsa Mosque from the early morning hours, while Israeli forces imposed strict security measures around the Mosque and throughout the Old City, deploying large numbers of soldiers at the compound’s gates and surrounding areas.
Israeli forces also erected dozens of metal barriers across Jerusalem, particularly in the Old City and around the holy site, and stopped numerous young Palestinians to inspect their identification documents.
Israeli authorities have continued to prevent Palestinians from the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip from accessing Aqsa Mosque for prayer for the past three years, significantly restricting their ability to worship at one of Islam’s holiest sites.
