Because the sermon concerning the Muslim holy month of Ramadan sounded over the audio system from Al Aqsa Mosque, 13-year-old Yousef al-Sideeq sat on a bench exterior the compound’s gates.
“Most Fridays they prevent me from getting in, for no reason,” the younger Jerusalem resident mentioned, referring to the Israeli police.
Each Friday, Yousef visits Jerusalem’s Previous Metropolis to hope at Al Aqsa, the third holiest web site for Muslims and a part of the compound sacred to Jewish individuals, who name it the Temple Mount. However because the Hamas-led Oct. 7 assaults and Israel’s ensuing bombardment of Gaza, closely armed Israeli police forces who guard lots of the Previous Metropolis’s gates have stopped him from coming into the compound, he mentioned.
He has managed to get in solely twice.
Muslim entry to the mosque has lengthy been some extent of competition as Israel has exerted tighter management in recent times over the compound, one in all many restrictions Palestinians dwelling underneath many years of Israeli occupation have needed to endure.
As Ramadan begins, many additionally concern what, if any, further constraints Israel might impose on the spiritual web site, which may draw 200,000 individuals in someday from not simply Jerusalem however the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution and Israel as an entire.
The Israeli police mentioned that folks have been “entering after enhanced security checks that are conducted due to the current reality, alongside efforts to prevent any disturbances.” However they didn’t reply particular questions on whether or not there was a coverage stopping sure worshipers, particularly younger males, from coming into the mosque on Friday.
They mentioned they have been “maintaining a balance between the freedom of worship and the imperative of ensuring security.”
Late on Sunday, Palestinian and Israeli information media reported that cops prevented many Palestinians from coming into Al Aqsa to carry out prayers for the beginning of Ramadan. Each media cited a video that confirmed officers with batons chasing and beating some Palestinians.
Israel has mentioned there was no change to the established order, which permits solely Muslims to worship on the compound. The positioning is revered by Jews as the situation of two historic temples, and by Muslims because the Noble Sanctuary, the compound containing Al Aqsa Mosque and different necessary Islamic prayer areas. The compound consists of the Dome of the Rock, a gold-domed prayer corridor.
Israel captured East Jerusalem, together with the Previous Metropolis and the Aqsa compound, from Jordan in 1967 and later annexed it. A lot of the world considers it occupied territory and doesn’t acknowledge Israeli sovereignty over East Jerusalem.
Many Palestinians say their entry to Al Aqsa compound has change into more and more restricted in favor of Jews, who think about the Temple Mount probably the most sacred place in Judaism.
Incidents on the compound have at occasions been the spark for broader conflicts. The second intifada, or Palestinian rebellion, was set off in 2000 when Ariel Sharon, who later turned Israel’s prime minister, visited Al Aqsa surrounded by a whole bunch of cops. Confrontations on the compound in Might 2021 contributed to the outbreak of an 11-day conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Hamas, the Palestinian armed group which has been in charge of Gaza for years, known as its Oct. 7 assault on southern Israel Al Aqsa Flood, saying it was partially a response to “Judaization plans” on the mosque.
The assault killed about 1,200 individuals, and a few 200 individuals have been taken hostage, in accordance with the Israeli authorities. Israel’s assault on Gaza in its conflict in opposition to Hamas has killed greater than 30,000 Palestinians, in accordance with Gazan well being officers.
Lately, Jewish worshipers have prayed inside the Aqsa compound. Essentially the most excessive search to build a 3rd Jewish temple on the location of the Dome of the Rock.
A number of the most provocative episodes have been raids into the Aqsa compound by baton-wielding police forces firing tear fuel and sponge-tipped bullets who’ve clashed with Palestinians throwing stones and setting off fireworks.
“Al Aqsa Flood came as a response to the settlers’ violations against Al Aqsa,” mentioned Walid Kilani, a Hamas spokesman in Lebanon, referring to Jewish worshipers.
Israeli cops “stormed the mosque and insulted the Muslim prayers there,” he added. “We had to retaliate, as Al Aqsa is our holy site and is mentioned in the Quran.”
Within the preliminary weeks of the conflict, solely Muslims ages 60 and older have been allowed in, mentioned Mohammad al-Ashhab, a spokesman for the Waqf — an Islamic belief that administers the mosque and that’s financed and overseen by Jordan.
Attendance at Friday Prayer, a Muslim holy day, dropped to simply 1,000 from 50,000, he mentioned.
Although the scenario has improved since then, he mentioned, many Muslims are nonetheless prevented from attending.
Many Palestinians concern for the way forward for Al Aqsa, particularly whereas Israel’s most right-wing authorities ever is in energy.
Final week, the federal government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned it had decided in opposition to placing new restrictions on Al Aqsa throughout Ramadan and would permit the same variety of worshipers as in earlier years.
Along with longstanding Israeli restrictions on Muslims coming from the occupied West Financial institution, Itamar Ben-Gvir, the far-right nationwide safety minister, had called on the government to impose limits this 12 months on Palestinian residents of Israel.
Nonetheless, the ambiguous language of the Israeli authorities’s choice has some involved. Human rights teams concern that freedom of worship may very well be curtailed underneath the guise of safety and security.
“Netanyahu’s statement does not actually guarantee full freedom of access for Muslims to Al Aqsa, but rather conditions it on security and safety needs,” Ir Amim, an Israeli rights group that focuses on Jerusalem, mentioned in a press release following the choice. “This in turn may lead to a decision to ultimately apply collective entry restrictions during Ramadan.”
“Our freedom of worship has gone backwards,” Mr. al-Ashhab mentioned.
To succeed in Al Aqsa Mosque compound, Muslim worshipers on Friday needed to get via not less than three layers of police barricades, the place the authorities prevented individuals from coming into, checked IDs or searched baggage. Many arrived with prayer rugs in hand.
AbdulAziz Sbeitan, 30, was speeding via a Muslim cemetery on the sting of the Previous Metropolis, having been turned away from Lion’s Gate, one in all seven entrances to the historic district. He was on the cellphone with pals who have been attempting to enter from different gates.
The Jerusalem native has all the time attended Friday Prayer at Al Aqsa, however since Oct. 7 he hasn’t been in a position to get in as soon as. Every Friday he tries a number of gates.
Typically he accompanies an older lady or younger women in an effort to get via, however every time the police have pushed him again, he mentioned.
“It is a house of God and the house of our ancestors,” Mr. Sbeitan mentioned as he walked shortly towards Herod’s Gate. “As Muslims, it is important; Al Aqsa is for Muslims.”
As he arrived at Herod’s Gate, he noticed many younger males being turned away, in some instances violently shoved by the police.
Mr. Sbeitan cursed underneath his breath as he lit a cigarette, watching. Round him different younger males provided recommendation and, in some instances, discouragement.
“Come, let’s try another gate,” one mentioned to his buddy.
“Guys, we tried all the gates, they won’t let you in,” one other man informed them. “They let us in once, and then once we were inside the gate they pushed us back out.”
He mentioned the Israeli police informed him that younger males weren’t allowed to enter. Like many others, the person, a 28-year-old Jerusalemite, didn’t wish to give his identify for concern of retribution by the police.
It wasn’t simply younger single males being barred. Fathers with little kids and a few ladies have been turned away as nicely.
“It’s all according to their whims,” one lady mentioned as she walked away after being prevented from coming into via Lion’s Gate.
As the decision to prayer sounded inside Al Aqsa, Yousef, the 13-year-old, joined an impromptu gathering of dozens of younger males who couldn’t get in.
In previous weeks these prevented from praying inside Al Aqsa would collect within the streets and conduct their very own sermon and prayer. However on Friday it appeared even tougher because the Israeli police shoved them away from Lion’s Gate and farther exterior the partitions of the Previous Metropolis.
Undeterred, one man started the decision to prayer, at occasions barely audible over the sound of sirens and horns alongside the road, buses trundling previous and the police shouting.
Quickly, one other man stepped on high of a sidewalk stone barrier and started to present a casual sermon.
“Will we not liberate Palestine?” mentioned the person, who gave his identify solely as Yousef, fearing retribution regardless of the danger he had already taken in main a sermon.
As he completed, extra closely armed cops piled out of two autos.
The person appeared unfazed. He then led dozens — principally youngsters and males of their 20s and 30s — in prayer on a crowded Jerusalem sidewalk surrounded by two church buildings and the Tomb of the Virgin. The gold Dome of the Rock, the middle of the Aqsa compound, was barely seen over the Previous Metropolis partitions.
Abu Bakr Bashir contributed reporting from London.
