JERUSALEM: Israel will allow Ramazan prayers at Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa Mosque during the upcoming holy month, but the limits will be set according to security needs, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Monday.
The militant group Hamas, Israel’s main enemy in the Gaza war, condemned the proposed restrictions and the Palestinian Supreme Islamic Council called on all Muslims to visit Al Aqsa regardless.
Al Aqsa, one of the holiest sites in the world for Muslims, sits on a hill in Jerusalem’s Old City in a compound that Jews also revere as the site of their temples from biblical times.
Rules regarding access to the site have been a frequent source of friction, especially during holidays including Ramazan, which this year begins on or around March 10. Israel has imposed restrictions in the past – usually barring younger believers – saying it would prevent violence.
Asked about the possibility of blocking Israeli Muslims’ access to Al Aqsa, Netanyahu’s office responded: “The prime minister made a balanced decision to allow freedom of worship within the security needs established by experts.
It gave no further details.
Netanyahu is under pressure from both far-right coalition partners, who want tighter restrictions, and countries in the region are pushing to maintain the status quo.
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National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who heads the hardline party in the government, said those who hate Israel will use the event to express support for the Hamas leadership and to incite violence.
“The entry of tens of thousands of haters to celebrate the victory on the Temple Mount is a security threat to Israel,” Ben Gvir said.
The Supreme Fatwa Council, the highest Palestinian Islamic assembly, called on “everyone who can reach the blessed Al Aqsa Mosque to travel to it and protect it.”
Hamas said Palestinians should “reject this criminal decision, resist the occupation’s arrogance and insolence, and mobilize to stand firm and steadfast in the Al Aqsa Mosque.”
In April last year, Israeli police clashed with Palestinians at a mosque during Ramazan. Violent riots also occurred at the site in 2021 and 2022.
