OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (Palestine Foundation Information Center)، Tens of thousands of Palestinians performed Friday prayer in the Aqsa Mosque and its courtyards, in a powerful display of their commitment to maintaining presence the Mosque despite the strict measures imposed by Israeli police.
Eyewitnesses reported that the Israeli forces prevented many worshipers from entering the Mosque, subjecting them to rigorous searches and checks of their identity cards. Several young men were turned back and denied access to the Friday prayer.
Around the Mosque, the Israeli forces set up both permanent and mobile checkpoints, creating obstacles that restricted the movement of worshipers inside the Old City, worsening the hardship of residents and preventing many from reaching the Mosque.
Local sources said that Israeli forces also arrested Aqsa guard Wahbi Makkiya near the Moroccan Gate after brutally assaulting him.
Since the early morning hours, the Israeli forces had intensified their deployment throughout the Old City streets and near the Mosque’s gates, carrying out strict searches and surveillance.
The measures come amid widespread Palestinian calls to mobilize, remain present, and protect the Aqsa Mosque, and to thwart the Israeli Judaization attempts.
