Palestinian women attempt to reach Al-Aqsa via checkpoints, amid Israeli restrictions [Getty/file photo]
Israeli forces have prevented Palestinians from performing Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa, the last of their kind this Ramadan, despite the worshippers having permits to access the Jerusalem mosque.
Scores of Palestinians coming from the occupied West Bank via some of the territory’s checkpoints were denied entry for the Friday prayers as the holy month draws to a close.
One woman, who came from the town of Sinjil near Ramallah, was reduced to tears by Israel’s actions, telling Al-Araby TV that she had “no idea what happened” given that she was previously granted entry to attend Friday prayers earlier this month.
The woman was hoping to arrive at Al-Aqsa via the Qalandia checkpoint, where eyewitnesses said Israeli soldiers were deliberately prohibiting Palestinians from reaching their destination, despite checking their valid permits and IDs.
Another woman, Umm Alaa, was also refused entry after Israeli forces claimed she did not have the required paperwork.
“I am 71 years old, and I want nothing more than to pray at Al-Aqsa.”
“I was hurt when I was denied entry. I had hoped to enter the mosque and pray, but Israeli forces prevented me,” she told the Turkish Anadolu agency.
Sixty-seven-year-old Fatima Awawdeh, who is a US citizen, was also barred from making it to Al-Aqsa after Israeli forces claimed there was an error in her permit.
Around 75,000 Palestinians, were able to perform the fourth and final Friday prayers of Ramadan, according to the Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem. This, however, marks a significantly lower turnout than previous attendances at the mosque throughout the holy Muslim month.
Friday prayers are of great significance to Muslims worldwide, particularly during Ramadan. Al-Aqsa, located in Jerusalem’s Old City, is the third holiest site in Islam, and an emblematic symbol of Palestinian culture and identity.
Israeli forces were deployed in larger numbers around the Old City, closing off several streets, while a heavy police presence was also visible at the mosque’s gates, Anadolu said.
Earlier this month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved measures limiting Palestinian presence at the mosque. From the West Bank, only children under the age of 12, men over the age of 55, and women over the age of 50 would be granted access to the Jerusalem holy site – provided they obtain prior security clearance and undergo comprehensive security checks at designated crossings.
Similar restrictions were imposed last year, in the backdrop of Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip and an increased crackdown in the West Bank. There are no limits on Palestinian citizens from Israel, however.
