Prayers Resumed at Al-Aqsa Following 70-Day Shutdown

This dawn, thousands of Muslims performed prayer in al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem, Islam’s third holiest place, following a 70-day shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The mosque opened its doors to thousands of worshippers, who went inside cheerfully chanting in celebration of the reopening, WAFA reported.

All the buildings in the courtyards of the mosque were opened to prayers and pictures showed measures applied over social distancing, necessary to contain the spread of the virus.

Earlier, the Islamic Waqf, in charge of running the Mosque’s affairs, sterilized the mosque and set instructions for the worshipers coming to pray there, calling upon them to adhere to health instructions and prevent overcrowding inside the buildings and courtyards.

WAFA quoted Omar Kiswani, director of Al-Aqsa mosque saying: "the patience of worshipers over the pandemic resulted in the return to the blessed Al-Aqsa mosque after 70 days of closure," adding that the Islamic Waqf Department has completed all its work to receive the worshipers who are committed to health instructions that must be maintained by everyone coming to the mosque.

Head of the Islamic Higher Council in occupied Jerusalem, Sheikh Ekrema Sabri, called on everyone who suffers from health symptoms not to attend and pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, hoping that the prayers will go smoothly, calmly, regularly.

In the meantime, around 75 Israeli settlers guarded by a police escort forced their way into the Mosque and performed a provocative tour. The police reportedly detained three Palestinians, including a young woman, who were praying at the courtyards of the mosque.