The Jerusalem Governorate has issued a formal warning regarding planned Israeli restrictions on Palestinian worshipers seeking to access the Al-Aqsa Mosque during the upcoming holy month of Ramadan. The governorate described the measures as a "blatant violation" of international law and the freedom of worship.
According to a statement released on Tuesday, Israeli authorities intend to impose a numerical cap of just 10,000 worshipers on Fridays. Furthermore, access will be restricted by age, reportedly limited to men over 55 and women over 50. The governorate condemned these criteria as an attempt to transform a fundamental religious right into a "conditional privilege" managed by security forces.
Part of a Broader Agenda The Jerusalem Governorate asserted that these measures are part of a wider strategy of "Israelization" intended to isolate Jerusalem from its Palestinian surroundings. The statement emphasized that all unilateral measures affecting the historical and legal status quo of Islamic and Christian holy sites are considered null and void under international legitimacy.
Rising Tensions and Ban Orders The warning also highlighted the increasing calls from extremist "Temple groups" to mobilize large numbers of settlers to enter the mosque's courtyards, particularly during the last ten days of Ramadan. This coincides with a spike in "banishment orders," with approximately 180 Palestinians already banned from the Al-Aqsa compound since the beginning of 2024 as part of a campaign to "empty" the site of its regular worshipers.
Call for Global Intervention Citing recent recommendations from the Israeli Knesset's Security Committee to pre-emptively curb access, the governorate called on the United Nations and the international community to intervene urgently. It urged diplomatic bodies to ensure the protection of holy sites and guarantee safe, unrestricted access for all worshipers during the sacred month.
Follow the latest news on Google News
