Tens of thousands of worshipers attended the first Friday prayer of the holy month of Ramadan at Aqsa Mosque, despite the tight Israeli restrictions throughout Occupied Jerusalem.
The Islamic Endowments Department in Occupied Jerusalem affirmed that 80,000 worshipers performed the first Friday prayer of the month of Ramadan in the holy site.
Aqsa Mosque’s preacher, Sheikh Ikrima Sabri, stressed during the Friday sermon that worshipers’ large presence at the holy site is a strong message to those who want to harm it. “There is no room for bargaining over Al-Aqsa, nor for giving up a speck of dirt from it,” he said.
“Aqsa is too high to be governed by international laws and will remain open no matter what happens. It is regrettable to observe what is occurring in Gaza, and there is nobody acting to put an end to it or to protect its citizens.”
He also pointed to the tight Israeli restrictions around Aqsa Mosque for several months, saying that it is turned into a battlefield.
Ahead of the Friday prayer, the Israeli police blocked several roads leading to the Old City of Jerusalem and hindered the movement of Palestinian citizens.
Israeli authorities also imposed more restrictions on West Bankers’ entry to the Aqsa Mosque compound on the first Friday prayer in the holy month of Ramadan.
Only 10,000 Palestinians from the West Bank, were allowed to perform Friday prayer at Aqsa, with men above the age of 55 and women above the age of 50.
3,000 Israeli police officers were deployed across the occupied city of Jerusalem
Meanwhile, Israeli forces stationed at the Qalandia checkpoint demanded special permits to allow West Bankers’ entry.
Along the same line, the Israeli forces prevented medical teams’ access to the Mosque and prevented them from performing their normal duties in providing first aid services to the worshipers.
Earlier Friday, thousands of Jerusalemites performed the Fajr prayer at the Aqsa Mosque despite the Israeli security restrictions at its gates.
A group of Jerusalemite campaigners and activists earlier called for performing the Great Fajr prayer on Friday in the Aqsa Mosque’s courtyards and staying at the holy site to demand lifting the siege imposed on it.
Source: The Palestinian Information Center
