Israeli authorities have severely limited Palestinian access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound for the first Friday prayers of the holy month of Ramadan, allowing only a small portion of worshippers from the occupied West Bank to enter.
Only 10,000 Palestinians with permits were permitted to enter the compound in occupied East Jerusalem, a sharp reduction from the hundreds of thousands who have traditionally prayed there on the first Friday of Ramadan. Eligibility was restricted to children under 12, men over 55 and women over 50, according to Israeli officials.
By mid-morning, only about 2,000 worshippers had passed through the Qalandiya checkpoint near Ramallah amid tight military security, with hundreds more still waiting and being denied entry.
Al Jazeera’s correspondents noted the restrictions have disrupted a long-standing tradition for many Palestinians, who consider attending Al-Aqsa on Ramadan Fridays a deeply rooted cultural and religious practice. Many who remained outside the gates were unable to reach the mosque.
The new measures come amid a surge of violence in the occupied West Bank, involving increased settler attacks and clashes with Israeli forces, according to Palestinian authorities and rights groups.