The city of Jerusalem in the month of Ramadan is not the same as in other months of the year, with tens of thousands of worshipers flocking to the city to perform prayers, read the Qur’an and listen to religious lessons in Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Brightly colored lamps illuminate the narrow alleys of the Old City leading to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem.
And the city full of joyful lights in the month of Ramadan is different from its condition in other months of the year.
Thousands of Palestinians flock to Al-Aqsa Mosque throughout the day in Ramadan to perform prayers, read the Qur'an and listen to religious lessons.
But the climax is at the time of Tarawih prayers as well as the Friday prayers, as the number of worshipers is usually estimated at tens of thousands and sometimes hundreds of thousands.
In the narrow alleys leading to Al-Aqsa Mosque, the bright colors that adorn its sky and walls catch the eye.
Voluntarily, Palestinians in the Old City lanes are keen to decorate their homes and roads with bright lamps and crescent moons, as an expression of their joy at receiving the arrivals.
"We worked with everyone, old and young, to decorate the neighborhood for the occasion of Ramadan," Ahmed Salama, from the Hatta Gate in the Old City, told Anadolu Agency.
He added, "We made sure that the decorations were in their best form to welcome the arrivals to the city of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque."
And he added, "Even my ancestors used to decorate the Hatta neighborhood to welcome the arrivals to Al-Aqsa Mosque during the month of Ramadan."
Salameh added, "We face harassment by the occupation authorities. If the Israeli police do not like the decorations in a particular place, we have to redo the decorations plan again."
The way to Al-Aqsa
"Bab Hatta" is considered one of the largest lanes in the Old City of Jerusalem, and it is adjacent to Al-Aqsa Mosque, and worshipers walk through it to reach the mosque.
There are small shops in the neighborhood from which worshipers shop for their needs, especially drinks and food for those who come to Al-Aqsa Mosque from outside the city.
Those who come to the mosque during Ramadan are residents of the West Bank and the Palestinian interior, as well as Muslims from outside the Palestinian territories.
Expats often take pictures and videos of the decorations in the old town and share them on social media platforms.
The Israeli authorities allow Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem and the Palestinians of 1948 to access Al-Aqsa Mosque without restrictions.
However, it requires residents of the West Bank and Gaza Strip to obtain special permits.
The Israeli army previously announced that it would prevent Palestinian males between 12 and 55 years of age from the West Bank from entering Jerusalem during Ramadan.
The situation in Jerusalem during the month of Ramadan is not the same as in other months of the year, with the influx of tens of thousands of worshipers into the city and the active commercial activity in its markets.
Shops in East Jerusalem usually close their doors on regular days of the year before the Maghrib prayer, but in Ramadan they remain until after midnight.
Saudi Arabia: Starting talks with Syria to resume consular services
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed that "discussions have begun with the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs" regarding resuming the provision of consular services in the two countries.
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed that "discussions have begun with the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs" regarding resuming the provision of consular services in the two countries.
On Thursday evening, the Saudi state-run Al-Ekhbariya channel reported that "a source in the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed the start of talks with the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, commenting on what was reported by some international media."
The source added, "Within the framework of the Kingdom's keenness to provide the necessary consular services to the two peoples, discussions are underway between officials in the Kingdom and their counterparts in Syria about resuming the provision of consular services."
Saudi Arabia withdrew its ambassador from Damascus in 2011 and froze its diplomatic relations with the Bashar al-Assad regime, against the background of the regime forces' suppression of the peaceful popular demonstrations that erupted against it.
On March 8, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan said, in media statements, that "there is a dialogue for Syria's return to the Arab embrace," noting that "there is a consensus that the situation in Syria is not acceptable."
Earlier today, international media reported that Saudi Arabia and Syria agreed to resume relations, without official confirmation from both sides at the time.
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