JERUSALEM — Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem reopened to Muslim worshipers Thursday after a 40-day closure imposed by Israel during the joint U.S.-Israel military operation against Iran.
A video reviewed by Al Jazeera showed Palestinians walking through the gate early Thursday.
Since the outbreak of the US-Israel war on February 28, access to Christian, Jewish and Muslim institutions has been either completely banned or limited to a few dozen believers. Israel often imposes restrictions on worshipers, especially Palestinians.
The Islamic Waqf Ministry in occupied Jerusalem has confirmed that the doors of Al Aqsa will reopen to all worshipers from dawn. Jordanian religious authorities in charge of managing the mosque did not provide further details.
Earlier videos showed volunteers and caretakers preparing courtyards and prayer halls for worshipers and conducting religious ceremonies.
Israeli authorities announced Wednesday night the opening of a mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in occupied Jerusalem.
Israeli police said the opening of the holy site followed “the latest instructions from the Israeli Home Front Command.”
The statement said there had been an intensive security increase to “ensure the safety of visitors”, including the deployment of hundreds of police and border guards in the alleyways of Jerusalem’s Old City and on roads leading to holy sites.
On April 6, Israel’s Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir stormed the compound, which remained closed.
The mosque in the Old City reopened at dawn, allowing hundreds of Palestinian Muslims to enter the premises, according to an Anadolu correspondent on the ground.
When the gates were opened with the call for morning prayers, a large number of worshipers gathered at the venue, shedding tears and prostrating in gratitude in the mosque’s courtyard.
Approximately 3,000 worshipers lined up for dawn prayers, marking the first time a mass prayer service was held at the site since the closure.
Israel completely closed Al-Aqsa Mosque on February 28, around the same time as the Iranian attack, allowing only mosque staff and members of the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf to pray there, while other Palestinians were forced to pray in smaller mosques around the city.
Authorities also banned Eid al-Fitr prayers from being held in al-Aqsa this year, the first such restrictions since Israel occupied East Jerusalem in 1967.
During the same period, Israeli authorities also closed the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, one of Christianity’s holiest sites in Jerusalem. — Agency
