DaysofPal– Israeli occupation forces (IOF) will keep Al-Aqsa Mosque closed during Eid al-Fitr, preventing tens of thousands of Palestinians from performing the Eid prayer at the site.
The source told Al Jazeera that the closure will continue following a decision linked to Israeli extension of a state of emergency, which has been prolonged until Wednesday.
IOF originally shuts down the mosque and the Old City of Jerusalem on February 28, citing emergency conditions tied to the joint US-Israeli war on Iran.
Under the long-standing status quo arrangement, Al-Aqsa is administratively overseen by the Islamic Waqf, which operates under Jordan’s Ministry of Endowments.
The decision to close the mosque is seen as a violation of that authority.
Marouf al-Rifai, media advisor to the Jerusalem Governorate, said the continued closure of the Old City, allowing entry only to residents, along with the ongoing shutdown of Al-Aqsa, has deprived worshippers of attending Friday prayers during the last two weeks of Ramadan.
It has also prevented them from observing i‘tikaf (spiritual retreat) during the final ten days and from marking Laylat al-Qadr, one of the holiest nights in Islam.
He added that restrictions are not limited to Muslims, as Christian worshippers, currently observing Lent, have also been affected, as access to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City has been blocked, despite its central role in Easter celebrations.
For over a week, Palestinians from Jerusalem and areas inside Israel have been performing evening and Taraweeh prayers at the closest accessible نقاط around Al-Aqsa and the Old City.
However, Israeli forces have repeatedly dispersed gatherings, including near Bab al-Sahira, using force and stun grenades.
Some worshippers attempted to continue prayers in nearby neighborhoods such as al-Musrara.
Al-Rifai said Israeli forces have intensified checkpoints and installed barriers to restrict movement and prevent worshippers from gathering near the mosque, particularly around Bab al-Sahira and Bab al-Asbat.
He warned that these measures are likely to continue to block Eid prayers and religious celebrations.
He further argued that the Israeli occupation is using the current security situation to assert greater control over Al-Aqsa, sidelining the role of the Islamic Waqf and Jordan’s historical custodianship over Jerusalem’s holy sites.
Researcher Ziad Ibhis suggested that monitoring statements from Temple Mount groups indicate a possible plan to keep the mosque closed until late March, followed by a partial reopening that could allow incursions during the upcoming Jewish Passover period in early April.
Jordan has maintained a historical role in overseeing Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem since 1924, a responsibility reaffirmed in the 1994 Wadi Araba peace treaty and a 2013 agreement between King Abdullah II and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
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