JERUSALEM: Israel is set to impose tighter restrictions on Palestinian worshippers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, with thousands of police officers deployed across the site and surrounding areas.
Israeli police said forces would operate “day and night” at the compound as hundreds of thousands of Palestinians prepare to attend prayers at Islam’s third-holiest site.
Permit limits and age restrictions
Authorities have recommended issuing 10,000 special permits for Palestinians from the occupied West Bank to enter Jerusalem for prayers. However, Palestinian officials said access would again be limited by age, allowing only men over 55 and women over 50 to enter — criteria similar to those enforced last year.
Palestinian officials described the measures as severe restrictions on freedom of worship, particularly during Ramadan, when attendance at Al-Aqsa typically surges.
Restrictions on site preparations
The Palestinian Jerusalem Governorate accused Israeli authorities of blocking routine Ramadan preparations at the compound.
It said the Islamic Waqf — the Jordan-run body that administers the site — had been prevented from installing shade structures and setting up temporary medical clinics to accommodate large crowds.
A Waqf source confirmed that dozens of its employees had been barred from entering the compound in the days leading up to Ramadan.
Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem is Islam’s third-holiest site after Masjid al-Haram in Mecca and Masjid-e-Nabawi in Medina. It was also the first Qibla (direction of prayer) for Muslims before the direction was changed to the Kaaba in Mecca.
Because of this early connection to Islamic worship, Al-Aqsa holds deep religious and historical importance for Muslims around the world.
The mosque is also revered as the site of the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) Night Journey (Isra and Mi’raj), from where Muslims believe he ascended to heaven. Beyond its spiritual value, Al-Aqsa symbolizes Islamic heritage and identity in Jerusalem, and any developments there often resonate strongly across the Muslim world.
