Because the sermon in regards to 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 stop me from getting in, for no purpose,” 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 website for Muslims and a part of the compound sacred to Jewish folks, who name it the Temple Mount. However for the reason that 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 getting into the compound, he mentioned.
He has managed to get in solely twice.
Muslim entry to the mosque has lengthy been some extent of rivalry as Israel has exerted tighter management in recent times over the compound, one in all many restrictions Palestinians residing below many years of Israeli occupation have needed to endure.
As Ramadan begins, many additionally worry what, if any, extra constraints Israel could impose on the spiritual website, which may draw 200,000 folks in sooner or later from not simply Jerusalem however the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution and Israel as an entire.
The Israeli police mentioned that folks have been “getting into after enhanced safety checks which might be carried out as a result of present actuality, alongside efforts to stop any disturbances.” However they didn’t reply particular questions on whether or not there was a coverage stopping sure worshipers, particularly younger males, from getting into the mosque on Friday.
They mentioned they have been “sustaining a steadiness between the liberty of worship and the crucial of making certain safety.”
Late on Sunday, Palestinian and Israeli information media reported that law enforcement officials prevented many Palestinians from getting 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 placement of two historical temples, and by Muslims because the Noble Sanctuary, the compound containing Al Aqsa Mosque and different vital 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 turn into more and more restricted in favor of Jews, who contemplate the Temple Mount probably the most sacred place in Judaism.
Incidents on the compound have at instances 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 lots of of law enforcement officials. Confrontations on the compound in Could 2021 contributed to the outbreak of an 11-day conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Hamas, the Palestinian armed group which has been in command 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 folks, and a few 200 folks have been taken hostage, in accordance with the Israeli authorities. Israel’s assault on Gaza in its conflict towards Hamas has killed greater than 30,000 Palestinians, in accordance with Gazan well being officers.
In recent times, Jewish worshipers have prayed contained in the Aqsa compound. Essentially the most excessive search to construct a 3rd Jewish temple on the positioning of the Dome of the Rock.
Among the most provocative episodes have been raids into the Aqsa compound by baton-wielding police forces firing tear gasoline and sponge-tipped bullets who’ve clashed with Palestinians throwing stones and setting off fireworks.
“Al Aqsa Flood got here as a response to the settlers’ violations towards Al Aqsa,” mentioned Walid Kilani, a Hamas spokesman in Lebanon, referring to Jewish worshipers.
Israeli law enforcement officials “stormed the mosque and insulted the Muslim prayers there,” he added. “We needed to retaliate, as Al Aqsa is our holy website and is talked about within 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 only 1,000 from 50,000, he mentioned.
Although the state of affairs has improved since then, he mentioned, many Muslims are nonetheless prevented from attending.
Many Palestinians worry 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 determined towards placing new restrictions on Al Aqsa throughout Ramadan and would enable an analogous 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 known as on the federal government to impose limits this 12 months on Palestinian residents of Israel.
Nonetheless, the ambiguous language of the Israeli authorities’s determination has some involved. Human rights teams worry that freedom of worship could possibly be curtailed below the guise of safety and security.
“Netanyahu’s assertion doesn’t truly assure full freedom of entry for Muslims to Al Aqsa, however quite circumstances it on safety and security wants,” Ir Amim, an Israeli rights group that focuses on Jerusalem, mentioned in a press release following the choice. “This in flip could result in a call to in the end apply collective entry restrictions throughout Ramadan.”
“Our freedom of worship has gone backwards,” Mr. al-Ashhab mentioned.
To achieve Al Aqsa Mosque compound, Muslim worshipers on Friday needed to get by means of not less than three layers of police barricades, the place the authorities prevented folks from getting into, checked IDs or searched baggage. Many arrived with prayer rugs in hand.
AbdulAziz Sbeitan, 30, was speeding by means of 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 telephone with associates who have been making an attempt to enter from different gates.
The Jerusalem native has at all times attended Friday Prayer at Al Aqsa, however since Oct. 7 he hasn’t been capable of get in as soon as. Every Friday he tries a number of gates.
Typically he accompanies an older lady or younger ladies in an effort to get by means of, however every time the police have pushed him again, he mentioned.
“It’s a home of God and the home of our ancestors,” Mr. Sbeitan mentioned as he walked rapidly towards Herod’s Gate. “As Muslims, it is crucial; Al Aqsa is for Muslims.”
As he arrived at Herod’s Gate, he noticed many younger males being turned away, in some circumstances violently shoved by the police.
Mr. Sbeitan cursed below his breath as he lit a cigarette, watching. Round him different younger males supplied recommendation and, in some circumstances, discouragement.
“Come, let’s strive one other gate,” one mentioned to his pal.
“Guys, we tried all of the gates, they gained’t allow you to in,” one other man informed them. “They allow us to in as soon as, after which as soon as we have been contained in the gate they pushed us again 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 need to give his title for worry of retribution by the police.
It wasn’t simply younger single males being barred. Fathers with little youngsters and a few girls have been turned away as effectively.
“It’s all in accordance with their whims,” one lady mentioned as she walked away after being prevented from getting into by means of 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 more durable 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 instances 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 prime of a sidewalk stone barrier and started to present an informal sermon.
“Will we not liberate Palestine?” mentioned the person, who gave his title solely as Yousef, fearing retribution regardless of the chance he had already taken in main a sermon.
As he completed, extra closely armed law enforcement officials 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.
