OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (Palestine Foundation Information Center), Thousands of worshippers performed the Isha and Tarawih prayers at Aqsa Mosque on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan, despite heightened Israeli restrictions imposed by Israeli forces at the entrances and surrounding areas of the holy shrine.
According to local sources, Israeli forces tightened access measures, preventing young men from entering the Mosque via Bab al-Silsila ahead of evening prayers.
At Bab al-Hutta, Jerusalem-based sources reported that Israeli forces detained activist Mohammed Abu al-Hummus and barred him from entering the site to pray.
At Iftar time, Israeli forces also blocked the entry of meals for fasting worshippers, including food designated for employees of the Islamic Waqf Department.
These restrictions extended to families arriving to break their fast within the Mosque’s courtyards, including those carrying their own meals.
In parallel, Jerusalemite activist Areen Al-Za’anin was notified of a decision prohibiting him from practicing the traditional Ramadan role of “musaharati” in the Wadi al-Joz neighborhood, despite his annual participation in maintaining this cultural practice.
In recent weeks, Israeli authorities have intensified policies of mass bans and so-called “preventive” arrests, alongside stricter limitations on access to Aqsa and the suppression of Ramadan-related activities.
At the same time, Israeli authorities continue efforts to impose new realities within Aqsa Mosque in attempts to reshape the religious landscape in ways that undermine the historic and legal status quo.
On the morning of the first day of Ramadan, Israeli media reported that security forces raised alert levels in “friction points” across Occupied Jerusalem, the West Bank, and surrounding areas, anticipating potential tensions during the holy month.
