Final week, Israel PM workplace had mentioned that Muslim worshippers could be allowed to entry Al-Aqsa mosque.
Jerusalem:
Israel’s police pressure mentioned it’s going to deploy hundreds of officers throughout Jerusalem’s Outdated Metropolis for Ramadan’s first Friday prayers on the Al-Aqsa mosque, with tensions excessive amid the Gaza warfare.
“We’re ready for Friday prayers with extra law enforcement officials. Hundreds of them might be within the space of Temple Mount,” police spokeswoman Mirit ben Mayor advised reporters, utilizing the Jewish title for the Al-Aqsa mosque website.
Lots of of law enforcement officials had already been deployed within the Outdated Metropolis in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem since Ramadan started on Monday, she mentioned.
Ben Mayor mentioned as much as 25,000 worshippers had already visited the mosque for prayers in the course of the Muslim fasting month of fasting with none incidents.
“We’ll do all the things to allow this Ramadan to be quiet,” she advised a information convention.
Requested about clashes that reportedly occurred between police and worshippers on Sunday, authorities spokeswoman Tal Heinrich mentioned: “We’re on excessive alert”.
“It is no secret that extremists, terrorist organisations like Hamas and (Palestinian) Islamic Jihad try to inflame the area,” she advised the information convention.
Final week Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace mentioned Muslim worshippers could be allowed to entry Al-Aqsa mosque in the identical numbers as in earlier years in the course of the first week of Ramadan.
“Each week there might be a scenario evaluation by way of safety and security and a choice might be made accordingly,” it mentioned.
Palestinians coming to Al-Aqsa from the occupied West Financial institution have been anticipated to face some restrictions, police mentioned in an announcement.
Solely males aged 55 and older and ladies over 50 from the territory could be allowed to enter the mosque compound “for safety causes”, authorities spokesperson Ofir Gendelman mentioned.
Israel’s far-right Nationwide Safety Minister Itamar Ben Gvir had lately known as for stricter restrictions on Palestinian residents of the West Financial institution, saying they “shouldn’t be allowed” entry to Jerusalem to wish throughout Ramadan.
The Al-Aqsa mosque is the third holiest website in Islam, and though its administration technically falls beneath Jordan’s authority, Israel imposes restrictions in and across the advanced.
Clashes usually erupt on the website between Muslim worshippers and Israeli safety forces.
This 12 months Ramadan comes with Israel engaged in a devastating warfare with Palestinian Hamas group within the Gaza Strip.
The warfare broke out after the October 7 assault on Israel by Hamas that resulted within the loss of life of round 1,160 folks, principally civilians, in response to an AFP tally primarily based on official Israeli figures.
Israel’s retaliatory army offensive has since then killed a minimum of 31,184 folks in Gaza, most of them ladies and youngsters, in response to the territory’s well being ministry.
(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is printed from a syndicated feed.)
