Hundreds of Palestinian worshipers performed the third Friday prayers of Ramadan on the sidewalks near the Damascus Gate on March 6, after Israeli authorities barred access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
Following the closure of the Old City to most worshipers, residents laid prayer mats at the entrance of the historic gate and along nearby streets. Worshippers held the prayer under heavy security as security forces were stationed throughout the area.
The Israeli military had announced earlier that Friday prayers would not be held at the Al-Aqsa compound under emergency measures imposed following Iran’s retaliatory attacks on Israel.
Israeli authorities had also imposed restrictions during the first two Fridays of Ramadan, blocking hundreds of Palestinians from entering Jerusalem to pray.
At the start of Ramadan, Israel approved a plan limiting entry to 10 000 Palestinian Muslims for Friday prayers throughout the holy month, based on security recommendations.
Ramadan annually draws hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from the West Bank to Al-Aqsa, filling the mosque compound and boosting commercial activity in Jerusalem’s markets.
Violence in the West Bank has escalated since the start of the war in the Gaza Strip on October 8, 2023, with Israeli forces and illegal Israeli settlers carrying out attacks that include killings, arrests, property destruction, home demolitions, displacement, and settlement expansion.
Those attacks have killed at least 1 121 Palestinians and injured about 11 700 others, in addition to the arrest of nearly 22 000 Palestinians.
Palestinians warn that the violations could pave the way for Israel to formally annex the West Bank, effectively ending the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state as envisioned in UN resolutions.
The international community and the UN consider the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, an occupied Palestinian territory and view Israeli settlements there as illegal under international law.
The ongoing Israeli-US offensive on Iran has reportedly killed more than 1 000 people since Saturday, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and top military officials, while Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, as well as Gulf countries which are home to US assets. – AA