Israel imposes restrictions on Al-Aqsa Mosque worshippers

By Abdelraouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) – The Israeli police imposed strict restrictions on the entry of worshipers to Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem to perform Friday prayers.

An official in the Islamic Waqf (Endowments) Department in Jerusalem told Anadolu that only 15,000 people were able to perform Friday prayers in the mosque compared to over 50,000 in a regular Friday prayer.

The official, who preferred not to disclose his name, added: “The prayer halls and courtyards of the mosque were almost empty of worshipers due to Israeli restrictions.”

The Israeli police have been imposing restrictions on the entry of worshipers to Al-Aqsa Mosque since the start of the Gaza conflict on Oct. 7, but they tighten restrictions on Fridays.

Witnesses told Anadolu that the Israeli police only allowed elderly people to enter the mosque to perform prayers.

They added that the police attacked worshipers at the Asbat Gate and the Sahira Gate after preventing them from reaching Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Israeli police were deployed throughout East Jerusalem, setting up barriers at the entrances to the Old City and at the external gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Israeli measures forced hundreds of worshipers to perform prayers in the streets.

Witnesses told Anadolu that Israeli police attacked worshipers in the Wadi al-Joz neighborhood, near the Old City, with wastewater.

Palestinians performed prayers in one of the neighborhood's streets after being prevented from reaching Al-Aqsa Mosque for prayers.

This marks the 13th consecutive Friday when the Israeli police targeted worshipers in the Wadi al-Joz neighborhood.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala