JERUSALEM: Israeli authorities have limited the number of Palestinian worshippers allowed to attend Friday prayers at Al Aqsa Mosque to 10,000 during the holy month of Ramazan, which began on Wednesday.
Under the new measures, Palestinians from the occupied West Bank must obtain a special daily permit to enter the mosque compound in east Jerusalem. Israeli officials have also imposed age restrictions, allowing only men aged 55 and above, women aged 50 and above, and children up to 12 — when accompanied by a first-degree relative — to attend the weekly congregation.
In a statement, COGAT, the Israeli body overseeing civilian affairs in the Palestinian territories, said the permits would be subject to prior security approval. It added that worshippers returning to the West Bank would be required to undergo digital documentation at crossing points.
The restrictions apply specifically to Palestinians travelling from the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. Traditionally, hundreds of thousands gather at Al Aqsa — Islam’s third holiest site — during Ramazan. However, attendance has dropped significantly since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023 due to tightened Israeli controls.
Meanwhile, Israeli police on Monday detained the mosque’s imam, Sheikh Mohammed al-Abbasi, from within the compound. According to the Palestinian news agency WAFA, he was arrested without explanation.
In a statement on Tuesday, Hamas condemned the arrest, saying the imam had been issued an order barring him from the mosque. The group described the move as interference in the affairs of Al Aqsa and an attack on its religious leadership.