Occupied Jerusalem – About 30,000 Palestinian worshipers performed today Friday prayer at Al-Aqsa Mosque in the occupied city of Jerusalem, pledging to protect the holy site from Israeli violations.
Jerusalem’s Islamic Waqf confirmed that despite of Israeli strict restrictions, around 30,000 worshipers performed the Friday prayer at Al-Aqsa, today.
Local sources reported that well-armed Israeli forces harassed Palestinian worshipers heading to the holy site, earlier today. They also searched them and confiscated their ID Cards.
Every Friday, Palestinians stream to the Al-Aqsa mosque, the world’s third-holiest site for Muslims, to recite the Holy Quran before performing Friday prayer.
However, Israeli forces always provoke, assault and arrest the worshipers while heading to the holy site. On the other side, the forces facilitate and protect the settlers’ incursions to the mosque.
The holy site had been, last month, the centre of days of violence amid heightened tensions following a series of raids and attacks in occupied Jerusalem and the West Bank.
The occupation authorities have allowed settlers’ incursions to the holy site intensively since 2003.
In 2021, 34,562 settlers broke into the holy site, setting a new record, according to Al-Qastal. 19,000 settlers broke into the mosque in 2020 while 29,700 settlers in 2019.
Jews refer to the area as the Temple Mount, claiming it was the site of two prominent Jewish temples in ancient times.
The complex also includes the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, one of the most sacred Christian sites in the world.
