OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (Palestine Foundation Information Center), Tens of thousands of Palestinians performed Friday prayer at Aqsa Mosque and its courtyards in Occupied Jerusalem despite strict Israeli military restrictions on access to the holy site, amid calls from Jerusalem-based groups for worshipers to maintain a strong presence at the Mosque.
According to local Jerusalemite sources, Israeli police forces intensified their deployment around Aqsa Mosque and the gates of Jerusalem’s Old City, stopping worshipers and checking their identification documents.
Israeli forces also subjected Palestinians, particularly young men, to searches and security checks, further restricting their ability to reach the Mosque and perform prayers.
Calls for a strong Palestinian presence at Aqsa
On Thursday, Jerusalem-based religious and community groups called on Palestinians in Jerusalem and Palestinian communities inside Israel to travel to Aqsa in large numbers, attend Friday prayer and maintain a continuous presence in its courtyards.
The calls came amid escalating Israeli restrictions and concerns over attempts to impose new arrangements at the holy site.
Jewish settlers perform religious rituals at Aqsa
Meanwhile, Jewish settler incursions into Aqsa continued under the protection of Israeli forces.
On Thursday, dozens of Jewish settlers stormed the Mosque’s courtyards, toured its eastern section and performed Talmudic prayers and religious rituals.
Palestinian officials have repeatedly warned that such incursions, alongside restrictions on Muslim worshipers, threaten the historical and legal status quo governing the compound.
Aqsa Mosque, which covers approximately 144 dunums, continues to face Israeli measures affecting worshipers and Palestinians maintaining a religious presence at the site.
Palestinian groups have warned that intensified settler incursions and restrictions on access are part of efforts to change the longstanding arrangements governing worship at one of Islam’s holiest sites.
