Tens of thousands of Palestinians performed the first Friday prayers of the holy month of Ramadan at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, despite the Israeli restrictions imposed on them.
About 100,000 Palestinians held the first Friday prayers of the holy month of Ramadan at Al-Aqsa Mosque, despite the Israeli restrictions imposed on them.
In an interview with Anadolu Agency, Sheikh Azzam Al-Khatib, Director General of the Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem, said that about 100,000 worshipers performed Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Since the morning hours, Israeli police forces have been deployed in the streets of the city, especially the Old City and its alleys, and the vicinity of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The occupation forces set up barriers around the Old City of Jerusalem and restricted the access of tens of thousands of Palestinians to Al-Aqsa Mosque.
And the Israeli police announced, in a written statement, that it had deployed 3,200 of its members in the city of East Jerusalem.
The Israeli army stated that it would allow a very small number of Gazans to enter East Jerusalem during the month of Ramadan, after obtaining an entry permit.
Palestinians flocked from Jerusalem and Arab cities and towns in Israel, while regime teams, scouts, guards and custodians of Al-Aqsa Mosque deployed to provide assistance to the worshipers.
In Hebron, thousands of Palestinians performed the first Friday prayers of Ramadan at the Ibrahimi Mosque, amid Israeli security measures.
The director of the Hebron Endowment, Muhammad Nidal al-Jabari, said, "The occupation authorities have tightened their procedures at the mosque's gates, checked the identity cards of a number of worshipers, and searched young men before allowing them to enter the mosque."
"Despite the Israeli measures, thousands of worshipers performed Friday prayers at the Ibrahimi Mosque in unprecedented numbers," Al-Jabri added to the Anadolu Agency.
He pointed out that all mosque facilities were opened to worshipers.
Since 1994, Israel has divided the Ibrahimi Mosque by 63 percent for Jews and 37 percent for Muslims, following a massacre committed by a settler that killed 29 worshipers.
The mosque opens its doors fully to Muslims only 10 days a year, which are the Fridays of the month of Ramadan, Laylat al-Qadr, Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, the night of Isra and Mi’raj, the birth of the Prophet, and the Hijri New Year.