Israeli police have said they will deploy a major force around\nAl-Aqsa Mosque during the holy month of Ramadan, whilst Palestinian\nofficials have stated that Israel is imposing restrictions on the\ncompound.<\/p>\n
According to AFP on Tuesday (17\/2\/2026), during the fasting month,\nhundreds of thousands of Palestinians traditionally attend prayers at\nAl-Aqsa \u2014 the third holiest site in Islam, located in East Jerusalem,\nwhich Israel captured in 1967 and subsequently annexed.<\/p>\n
Arad Braverman, a senior Jerusalem police officer, said forces would\nbe deployed day and night throughout the compound, known to Jews as the\nTemple Mount, and in the surrounding areas.<\/p>\n
Braverman said thousands of police would also be on duty for Friday\nprayers, which attract the largest number of Muslim worshippers. He\nadded that police had recommended issuing 10,000 permits for\nPalestinians from the occupied West Bank, who require special permission\nto enter Jerusalem.<\/p>\n
Braverman did not specify whether age restrictions would apply,\nadding that the final number of people permitted would be determined by\nthe government.<\/p>\n
The Palestinian Jerusalem Authority said in a separate statement that\nit had been informed permits would again be restricted to men over 55\nand women over 50, mirroring last year\u2019s criteria.<\/p>\n
It said Israeli authorities had prevented the Islamic Waqf \u2014 the\nJordanian-administered body that manages the site \u2014 from carrying out\nroutine preparations, including installing shade structures and setting\nup temporary medical clinics. Waqf sources confirmed the restrictions\nand said 33 of its employees had been barred from entering the compound\nin the week before Ramadan.<\/p>\n
The Al-Aqsa compound is a paramount symbol of Palestinian identity\nand frequently serves as a flashpoint for conflict. Under a\nlong-standing arrangement, Jews may visit the compound \u2014 which they\nrevere as the site of their second temple, destroyed by the Romans in 70\nAD \u2014 but are not permitted to pray there.<\/p>\n
Israel has declared its commitment to maintaining this status quo,\nalthough Palestinians fear it is being eroded. Braverman reaffirmed that\nno changes were planned.<\/p>\n
In recent years, an increasing number of Jewish ultranationalist\ngroups have challenged the prayer ban, including far-right politician\nItamar Ben-Gvir, who prayed at the site whilst serving as national\nsecurity minister in 2024 and 2025.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/israel-deploys-police-to-al-aqsa-during-ramadan-palestinian-access-restricted-1771306556", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }