Israel’s decision to keep Al-Aqsa Mosque closed through Eid al-Fitr and beyond has been widely condemned.
Meanwhile, footage has emerged of Israeli police beating up people who were trying to perform Ramadan tarawih prayers nearby in Jerusalem.
Sources familiar with the occupied East Jerusalem mosque’s affairs said Israeli authorities informed the Islamic Waqf, the body responsible for administering the site, of the decision in recent days.
Al-Aqsa Mosque, considered the third holiest site in Islam, was closed by Israeli authorities earlier this month, citing the “security situation” amid the US-Israeli war on Iran.
The unprecedented closure, particularly during the month of Ramadan, has been condemned by Palestinians and Muslims elsewhere as the latest attempt by Israel to exploit security tensions to impose further restrictions and consolidate control over Al-Aqsa.
The United Ulama Council of South Africa (UUCSA) has voiced strong opposition to Israel’s recent closure of Masjid Al-Aqsa, calling the move a “grave escalation” and raising concerns about growing restrictions on Islamic holy sites in Al-Quds.
UUCSA criticised the justification, noting that Palestinians often lack access to shelters, and warned that the measure leaves worshippers exposed rather than protected.
In a statement, UUCSA said the closures reflected a broader strategy by Israeli authorities to assert control over sacred Islamic spaces.
“Whatever the rounds and arenas of this war may be, here lies the gateway to war, or the doorway to peace,” the council quoted Palestinian leader Kamal Khatib, urging communities to mobilise both physically and spiritually, especially during Ramadan.
Observers say the closures are part of a longer-term pattern of administrative and security measures that aim to restrict Palestinian authority over religious sites, highlighting tensions that continue to inflame the region.
As the closure continues into the final days of Ramadan, calls are growing for the Al-Aqsa mosque to be reopened ahead of Eid al-Fitr.
In a joint statement issued on 19 March corresponding to the 29 of Ramadan 1447, the Palestine Solidarity Alliance (PSA), alongside United Ulama Council of South Africa (UUCSA), Palestine Information Network (PIN), Social Intifada and South African Friends of Palestine, urged the immediate reopening of the mosque. “This is not a security measure. It is an attack on faith itself,” the statement reads.
The groups stressed that barring access during Ramadan and Eid carries deep religious significance, noting that Eid prayers at Al-Aqsa traditionally mark the culmination of the holy month for many worshippers.
They also called for international intervention to ensure protection for worshippers and to safeguard access to religious sites, warning that continued restrictions could further inflame tensions in the region.
The statement cautions that limitations placed on Al-Aqsa may set a broader precedent for other religious landmarks in Jerusalem if left unchallenged.