DaysofPal – Israeli occupation forces have turned the Old City of Jerusalem into a military zone after deploying hundreds of police officers across key areas stretching from Wadi al-Joz through Damascus Gate to Lions’ Gate.
The Jerusalem Governorate said that worshippers performed the evening and Taraweeh prayers on Sunday in the streets near Herod’s Gate and Damascus Gate due to a strict closure imposed on the Old City. Israeli forces surrounded groups of worshippers in the area and threatened to disperse them while preventing thousands of Palestinians from reaching Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque has continued for the sixteenth consecutive day, with Israeli authorities citing security conditions linked to the ongoing war with Iran.
The Jerusalem Governorate warned of rising incitement against Al-Aqsa Mosque by groups described as extremist “Temple organizations.” Officials said the closure cannot be viewed as a temporary security measure, arguing that it forms part of a political and ideological effort aimed at altering the religious, historical, and legal status quo at the holy site.
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center reported that Israeli forces installed checkpoints and stopped people attempting to enter the Old City, preventing Palestinians who do not reside inside its walls from accessing the area.
The restrictions have also severely affected the Old City’s markets. According to the center, the commercial district now appears almost empty, with most shops closed during a season that traders usually rely on for increased business.
The Arab League also condemned the continued closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the ban on prayers and religious rituals, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan and its final ten nights.
In a statement, the organization described the measure as a grave violation of international law and international humanitarian law and an unprecedented provocation to the feelings of Muslims worldwide. It also said the restrictions undermine freedom of worship and the right of believers to access religious sites.
This is the first time since the occupation of Jerusalem in 1967 that worshippers have been prevented from performing prayers and seclusion in the Al-Aqsa Mosque during the last days of Ramadan, as worshippers were absent from the last Friday of the month.
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