Thousands of Palestinians attend Friday prayer at Al-Aqsa Mosque despite Israeli restrictions

By Said Amori

JERUSALEM (AA) - At least 45,000 Palestinian Muslims offered prayers at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque on Friday during a week that saw repeated incursions by hundreds of illegal Israeli settlers coinciding with the Jewish Passover holiday.

“45,000 faithful performed Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque,” the Islamic Endowments Authority in Jerusalem said.

Since Hamas’ attack on settlements adjacent to the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, Israel imposed significant restrictions on Palestinians from the West Bank entering Jerusalem, making it difficult for them to reach Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The Israeli army and illegal settlers escalated their attacks in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, resulting in the killing of 489 Palestinians and the injury of around 4,900, according to Palestinian resources.

Since the beginning of the Jewish Passover holiday, which started on Monday evening and lasts a week, hundreds of illegal settlers have been daily storming Al-Aqsa Mosque under tight police protection, causing severe tension in various parts of the Old City of Jerusalem.

Illegal settlers do not enter Al-Aqsa Mosque on Fridays and Saturdays due to the so-called “Sabbath” in Jewish religion.

Palestinians argue that Israel is intensifying rapid measures to Judaize Jerusalem, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and erase its Arab and Islamic identity.

Since 2003, Israel has allowed illegal settlers into the flashpoint compound almost on a daily basis with the exception of Fridays and Saturdays.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world's third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area the "Temple Mount," claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognized by the international community.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala