Jerusalem: Israeli Police Shut Down Al-Aqsa Mosque

Israeli police have shut down Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem’s old city, preventing Muslim worshippers from entering, the Palestinian State news agency (WAFA) has said, citing the Islamic Waqf department.

The Islamic Waqf the Jordanian appointed Islamic organization managing the complex said that police officers abruptly shut down all gates leading to the walled compound and stopped Muslims from entering while allowing Jewish worshippers to perform their prayers, violating the status quo of the mosque, according to reports from WAFA.

Under a longstanding status quo arrangement governing the compound, non-Muslims can visit but only Muslims may worship in the holy compound. Some Jewish visitors often pray there despite that arrangement.

According to Jewish law, entering any part of the Al Aqsa Mosque compound, which the Jews call the Temple Mount, is forbidden for Jews due to the sacred nature of the site.

Israeli authorities restricted entry into the mosque. They initially allowed the elderly to enter before denying entry to all Muslim worshippers the State news agency reported.

The unusual yet not uncommon move comes as tensions in the region are soaring due to the ongoing Hamas-Israel war.

The Al-Aqsa compound, the third holiest site in Islam and the most sacred site in Judaism, revered as Temple Mount, is a frequent flashpoint between the Israelis and Palestinians.

Earlier this month, hundreds of Israelis forced their way into the Al-Aqsa mosque complex to mark the fifth day of Sukkot, week-long Jewish holiday, according to multiple reports citing the Islamic Waqf Department.

Events

In 2016, United Nations Cultural Agency(UNESCO) adopted a resolution on occupied East Jerusalem that sharply criticises Israeli policies around the al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

The UNESCO text, which touches on Israel’s management of Palestinian religious sites, refers throughout to the al-Aqsa mosque compound site in occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City only by its Muslim names: al-Aqsa and al-Haram al-Sharif.

Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is the third-holiest site in Islam. Jews refer to the site as the Temple Mount.

Palestine’s Deputy Ambassador to UNESCO, Mounir Anastas, told reporters the resolution “reminds Israel that they are the occupying power in East Jerusalem and it asks them to stop all their violations”, including archaeological excavations around religious sites.

The UNESCO resolution also condemned Israel for restricting Muslim access to the site, and for aggression by Israeli police and soldiers, while also recognising Israel as the occupying power.

Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is the third-holiest site in Islam. Jews refer to the site as the Temple Mount.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is located in East Jerusalem, which Israel annexed following its invasion in 1967 in a move never recognised by the international community as part of its subsequent military occupation of the West Bank.

Jewish settlers and Zionist organisations have called for complete Jewish control over the mosque compound.

Jewish groups’ incursions into the mosque compound have continuously led to Palestinian protests across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli Military and armed settler incursions have resulted in Palestinian deaths and injuries in recent years in particular. Muslim access to the religious site has also been tremendously limited by the Army.

Countries in the Middle East including Egypt, Yemen, Jordan, and GCC countries routinely issue statements denouncing violence by Israeli extremists in the Al-Aqsa holy compound, who often under the protection of the Israeli police clash with Palestinians in the complex.

WAFA