Israel Restricts Palestinian Muslim Worship at Al-Aqsa Mosque During Ramadan

A senior imam at Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem has declared that Israeli authorities have banned him from entering the mosque compound just days before the start of the holy month of Ramadan.

Sheikh Muhammad al-Abbasi said the ban has been in effect for a week since Monday and could potentially be extended. He claimed he was given no explanation for the restriction.

“I only returned to Al-Aqsa a month ago after a year in hospital due to a serious car accident,” he said, adding that the ban weighed heavily upon him. “Our souls are bound to Al-Aqsa. Al-Aqsa is our life.”

Ramadan is the month during which Muslims observe fasting from dawn until sunset. The start of Ramadan in Palestine began on Wednesday. Each year, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians flock to Al-Aqsa to perform prayers, particularly on Fridays and during the final nights of Ramadan.

The Al-Aqsa compound, situated in East Jerusalem, was captured by Israel during the 1967 War and subsequently annexed — a move not recognised by the majority of the international community.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that he had made a “balanced decision” to permit freedom of worship at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan, but that access would be restricted in accordance with security requirements.

When asked about the possibility of blocking Israeli Muslim access to Al-Aqsa, a conflict-prone place of worship in Jerusalem’s Old City, Netanyahu’s office stated: “The Prime Minister made a balanced decision to permit freedom of worship within a security framework determined by professionals.” No further details were provided.

Israel frequently imposes restrictions on worshippers permitted to pray at Al-Aqsa — for instance based on age — to prevent potential violence at the site, which forms part of a compound also considered sacred in Judaism.

“Despite warnings from Shin Bet (the internal security agency) about potential unrest between Palestinians within Israel and Israeli police, Netanyahu approved the recommendation from National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir to restrict Palestinian access to Al-Aqsa Mosque during the forthcoming month of Ramadan,” Channel 13 reported.